Early Girl Benny
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Early Girl Benny$10.00 Grit cakes topped with tomato, spinach, poached eggs, tomato gravy and avocado, served with toast or a homemade biscuit
Add country ham $1.00
That is the description straight off the menu from Early Girl in Ashville NC. Early Girl is a breakfast farm-to-table restaurant that is southern in style and hip in practice. I tried this because it seemed so foreign to me, what is tomato gravy anyway? Turns out, this meal is reminiscent of eggs benedict but uses totally different ingredients. There is a lot of prep for this but when you are finished you have something that's worth waking up to! IT is a fantastic way to use up old grits that didn't get eaten the day before.
Grit cakes topped with country ham, tomato, spinach, poached eggs, tomato gravy and avocado, served with toast or a homemade biscuit.
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the grits and continue to whisk for 1 minute. When the mixture comes to a boil again, turn the heat to low. Stir frequently, cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the grits from the heat and add pepper and butter; mix well. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted.
Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 9 by 9-inch square pan or other shallow pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight, until firm.
Unmold the grits mixture and slice or cut into a circle with a cookie cutter.
Cut up tomatoes in bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and garlic powder and mix with a spoon. Put bacon drippings in a hot skillet on stovetop. Add flour and make a roux or cook until thick. Pour in tomatoes and water and cook until the consistency of gravy.
While heating the gravy, fry the canadian bacon in a hot skillet. If the grits are cold heat up in the microwave until it is warmed. About 4 minutes on half power for one cake if pulled straight from the fridge. Poach the egg in just boiling hot water for about 2-3:30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Plate the dish by stacking in this order: grit cake, bacon, slice of tomato, a drizzle of tomato gravy, spinach, avocado slices, poached egg. Serve with toast.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in the grits and continue to whisk for 1 minute. When the mixture comes to a boil again, turn the heat to low. Stir frequently, cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the grits from the heat and add pepper and butter; mix well. Stir until the butter and cheese are melted.
Pour the mixture into a lightly oiled 9 by 9-inch square pan or other shallow pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight, until firm.
Unmold the grits mixture and slice or cut into a circle with a cookie cutter.
Cut up tomatoes in bowl. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and garlic powder and mix with a spoon. Put bacon drippings in a hot skillet on stovetop. Add flour and make a roux or cook until thick. Pour in tomatoes and water and cook until the consistency of gravy.
While heating the gravy, fry the canadian bacon in a hot skillet. If the grits are cold heat up in the microwave until it is warmed. About 4 minutes on half power for one cake if pulled straight from the fridge. Poach the egg in just boiling hot water for about 2-3:30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Plate the dish by stacking in this order: grit cake, bacon, slice of tomato, a drizzle of tomato gravy, spinach, avocado slices, poached egg. Serve with toast.