Sweet Potato Grits with Vegetable Ragù and Red Pepper Romesco

How to make Sweet Potato Grits with Vegetable Ragù and Red Pepper Romesco Recipe - Deli-Icious Recipe From Susan Tower And Ty Parker at Raleigh, Nc

Serves 6 To 8

SWEET POTATO GRITS:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 cups (473ml) whole milk
2 cups (473ml) water
2 cups (421g) grits
1 cup (121g) shredded Cheddar cheese
4 oz (113g) shredded Gouda cheese
2 oz (57g) cream cheese
Salt to taste

VEGETABLE RAGÙ:
2 tbsp (28ml) olive oil
1 eggplant, diced into ½” (1.3cm) pieces
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienned
1 green (or yellow) squash, diced into ½” (1.3cm) pieces
1 large yellow onion, julienned
RED PEPPER ROMESCO
4 oz (112g) French bread or any crusty bread
2 oz (57g) toasted almonds
8 oz (226g) roasted red peppers or 1 red bell pepper, cored and sautéed
until soft
½ cup (118ml) olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

To make the grits, peel and halve the sweet potatoes. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Add the potatoes to a blender and puree until smooth; set aside. Keep the oven on.

Bring the milk and water to a boil in a pot over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and slowly pour in the grits while stirring. When the grits thicken in 10 to 15 minutes, add the pureed sweet potatoes, Cheddar cheese, Gouda cheese, cream cheese and salt. Stir until the sweet potatoes become incorporated.

To make the vegetable ragù, add the olive oil to a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant, red bell pepper, squash and onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft.

To make the red pepper romesco, toast the bread in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. In a food processor or blender, add the almonds, roasted red peppers, olive oil and garlic and puree until smooth. Crumble the bread into the mixture and puree again until smooth. The sauce should be slightly thickened. Add more bread if you desire a thicker sauce. Season with salt to taste.

Spoon the grits into a bowl, add the vegetable ragù and top off with ¼ to

1 cup (60 to 80ml) of red pepper romesco.

Sweet Potato Grits with Vegetable Ragù and Red Pepper Romesco