Grits with Tomato Gravy

1. Soak the Grits

Soak the grits in 3 cups of vegetable stock overnight. This step softens the grits and prepares them for cooking.

2. Prepare the Black Runner Beans

While your grits are soaking, drain and rinse the beans, then cook them in a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, a bay leaf, half of a large yellow onion, three garlic cloves, and a dried red chile. Let them simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until they are just tender.

3. Make the Tomato Gravy

Sauté half of a diced large yellow onion and two minced garlic cloves in ¼ cup of peanut oil over medium heat until they are soft and fragrant. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of millet flour and stir continuously for about 10 minutes to cook off the raw taste of the flour. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato paste, a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with their juices, and 2 cups of vegetable stock. Let it simmer for 30 minutes. Once the gravy has thickened, blend it until smooth, then stir in the reserved beans and 2 tablespoons of Cashew Cream. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

4. Prepare the Sunchoke Puree

Peel and boil 1.5 pounds of sunchokes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until they are tender. Drain and blend them with 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and a bit of the cooking water until smooth. Season with salt as needed.

5. Cook the Grits

Remove any hulls that have floated to the top of the soaked grits, then transfer the grits and their soaking liquid to a saucepan. Add 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously to prevent lumps, for about 2 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and let the grits simmer gently for another 10 minutes. Stir in ¼ to ½ cup of the prepared sunchoke puree and season with freshly ground white pepper. Continue to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grits are soft and fluffy.

6. Serve

To serve, ladle the creamy grits into bowls, top with the hearty tomato and black bean gravy, and garnish with a splash of habanero hot sauce and a generous sprinkle of chopped scallions. Enjoy the comforting, rich flavors of this Southern-style dish!