Maverick Grits

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup old-fashioned stone-ground grits
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 chorizo links (spicy pork sausage)
• cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 4 ounces country ham
• cut into julienne strips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 medium sea scallops
• 12 medium shrimp
• peeled
• and deveined if desired
• 2 tomatoes
• peeled
• seeded
• and chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced scallion
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• Pinch of Cajun seasoning
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. Bring water, salt, and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan.
2. Whisk in grits and cook at a bare simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until grits are tender and thick, about 1 hour.
3. Stir in cream and remaining tablespoon butter and remove from heat.
4. Cook chorizo and ham in 1/2 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until ham is golden, about 3 minutes.
5. Transfer chorizo and ham to a plate with a slotted spoon.
6. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet and heat until foam subsides.
7. Cook scallops until golden on both sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
8. Transfer scallops to a plate with a slotted spoon.
9. Add another 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet and cook shrimp, turning, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
10. Stir in chorizo, ham, scallops, remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, and remaining ingredients.
11. Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits in skillet, until heated through, then season with salt and pepper.
12. Serve topping over grits.