Poached Eggs on Florentine Grits

I love eggs Florentine. Unfortunately, in our house, we are wallowing thoroughly in post Christmas guilt and therefore hollandaise sauce is not exactly welcome. Poached eggs definitely are though. And there's always room on the plate for a sprinkling of beautiful reggiano.

In honour of this past year's favourite comfort food, I've reworked the beloved eggs Florentine into something much more healthy and every bit as good. For this recipe I used quick grits, which are quite fine - with grains about the same size as cream of wheat. You can get much coarser grits, which work just as well and have a more interesting texture, but they take much longer to cook, and on a Saturday morning, when I'm feeling lazy, I just don't want to spend 45 minutes in the kitchen nursing a pot of coarse grits along.

Grits cook and set up a lot like polenta, which I suppose is not that earth shattering a revelation, as they are both made from ground dried corn.  Because, like polenta, grits tend to set up a bit once they start to cool, it's best to time things so that the grits don't sit for more than a few minutes after they've been cooked before serving. The few minutes sitting time allows them to set up just enough so you can make a nice big mound out of them, without them being too firm.

Serves 4

• 3/4 cup quick grits
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup (loosely packed) grated parmagianno reggiano cheese (plus more for sprinkling over the top!)
• 3/4 cup steamed fresh spinach or thawed frozen spinach, chopped
• 4 eggs

Place grits, water, salt, pepper cheese and spinach in a 5 litre Pyrex casserole with a lid. Cover an microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir, and microwave for 2 more minutes.

Poach your eggs according to these instructions. I promise they'll be perfect.

Divide the grits into 4 portions and make little mounds out of them on four plates. Top each mound with a poached egg and sprinkle over some more fresh ground pepper and a bit more reggiano.

There's no reason to feel guilty about this breakfast. Unless you can't stop yourself from having seconds.

Comments

[sam]

You know exactly how to make me hungry.
Your blog and pictures just keep getting better and better and better. Forget Cakes, come and cook for me instead?

[Bea at La Tartine Gourmande]

Miam, this looks very appetizing. I love florentine at breakfast ( at any time actually!) and never think of making it. Great idea that I stopped by!!!

[Lyn]

Sam,

You've made me blush! You opinion means a lot to me.

[clare eats]

Wow!