The Impatient Chef Presents: Cadillac Ham with Grits and Red Eye Gravy

Swimming in Coffee!

The Impatient Chef has been experimenting with southern cooking for a few years, having watched Sean Brock on Parts Unknown and a few other cooking shows. A Cajun seafood boil at a local restaurant called “My Brother’s Crawfish” also played a big role.

Sean Brock is a southern chef who has taken southern cuisine back to its roots and to new heights. The Impatient Chef suggests seeking his cookbooks out. 

 

Brewing up a new take on an old dish.

The Impatient Chef likes to, as it were, fiddle with traditions while culinary Rome burns. The following recipe is an example. I wanted to see what would happen if I upped the ante on the ham.

The word “Cadillac” is used mostly with cocktails to denote expensive drinks that use premium spirits. I once bought a Cadillac Margarita at a local upscale restaurant. It was very good.

With that in mind, The Impatient Chef presents: Cadillac Ham with Grits and Red Eye Gravy. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb slab of prosciutto, about 3/8” thick.
• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 cup Anson Mills Coarse White Grits 
• 2 cups water 
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 1/2 tsp white pepper 
• 3/4 cup freshly brewed coffee 
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper 
• vegetable oil 
• olive oil 
• butter 

Directions:

1. Anson Mills Coarse Grits require an overnight soak and careful cooking the next morning. The Impatient Chef grits his teeth, and uses these very patient grits because they are really good. You will find the recipe for making them here: https://ansonmills.com/recipes/489?recipes_by=grain. If you do not have the patience, use Bob’s Red Mill White Grits because they are a close second. Impatience ≠ bad food. For Bob’s Red Mill Grits, add the salt and pepper about half way through cooking. 
   
2. While the grits are cooking, cube the prosciutto. 
   
   
   
3. Make coffee. Set aside 3/4 cup. Add 2 dashed cayenne pepper to it. 
4. Heat an iron skillet on medium high, and add a couple teaspoons of vegetable oil. 
5. Note: If you use the Anson Mills grits, wait until they are just about done to start frying the prosciutto. They take about 50 minutes. 
6. Fry the prosciutto until the sides are browned like almost-done bacon. Do not fry it crisp because it will become too hard, but you want to have fond on on the bottom of the pan to deglaze with the coffee. Remove from pan when browned. 
7. Pour the coffee into the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Work the bottom of the pan with the spoon until the fond is suspended in the coffee. It is now red eye gravy. 
8. Fry the eggs over easy, or however you like them in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil. 
9. In two bowls, put half of the grits into each, followed by about a teaspoon of butter. Spoon on the fried prosciutto, and then lay a fried egg on top. Pour half of the red eye gravy onto each. 

Enjoy!

The Impatient Chef

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