Southern-Style Creamy Grits with Rustic Tomato Gravy and Sunchoke Swirl

1. Soak the Grits

Start by soaking the grits in a large bowl with 3 cups of vegetable stock overnight. This allows the grits to soften and absorb the flavorful stock.

2. Cook the Black Runner Beans

The next day, drain and rinse the soaked black runner beans. In a medium saucepan, combine the beans with fresh water, a bay leaf, half an onion, the halved garlic cloves, and a dried red chile. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the beans are tender.

3. Season and Simmer Beans

Once the beans are cooked, add a teaspoon of kosher salt and let them simmer for another 10 minutes. Drain the beans, discarding the bay leaf, onion, garlic, and chile, and set them aside.

4. Prepare Tomato Gravy Base

In the same saucepan, heat ¼ cup of peanut oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking until they soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.

5. Build Gravy Flavor

Stir in 2 tablespoons of millet flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until the mixture darkens slightly. This step is crucial as it builds the base flavor for the gravy.

6. Add Tomato and Stock

Whisk in 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato paste, then add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices and 2 cups of vegetable stock. Puree this mixture using a blender or an immersion blender until smooth, then return it to the pot.

7. Simmer Tomato Gravy

Add the reserved beans to the pot and let the gravy simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cashew cream and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the gravy with salt and black pepper to taste.

8. Prepare Sunchoke Puree

Peel the sunchokes and boil them in a pot of water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain them and mash with 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt and 2 tablespoons of peanut oil until smooth.

9. Cook the Grits

In a separate pot, bring the soaked grits and their soaking liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits are soft and creamy, about 20-30 minutes. Fold in the sunchoke puree and season with 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt and freshly ground white pepper.

10. Serve and Garnish

To serve, spoon the creamy grits onto plates and top with the rustic tomato gravy. Garnish with a few dashes of habanero hot sauce and a sprinkle of chopped scallions.