This hearty recipe, for breakfast or lunch mixes Pencil Cob grits, delicious thick-cut bacon from Allan Benton's Smoky Mountian Country Hams and a Hollandaise cream.

Ingredients

Grits

• 2 Cup whole Milk
• 2 Cup water
• 1 Cup pencil cob grits or stone ground grits
• 2 Teaspoon kosher salt

Hollandaise cream

• 4 egg yolks
• 2 Teaspoon pickled ramp liquid
• 1/2 Pound butter (melted)
• 1 Teaspoon salt

Meat

• 4 slices Benton’s country ham (sliced like prosciutto)
• 4 Teaspoon pickled ramps (thinly sliced)
• Sorghum as needed

Preparation

Step 1: Grits

In a heavy bottom sauce pot, over medium high heat, bring milk and water to a simmer. Whisk in grits and reduce heat to low. Occasionally stir the grits and cook for 1-2 hours until tender. Season with salt.

Step 2: Hollandaise cream

In a medium mixing bowl combine yolks, lemon juice and salt. Place bowl over pan with simmering water. Whisk egg mixture until it starts to thicken. Once thickened, slowly pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture and continue to whisk as you do this.

Step 3: Hollandaise cream

Next pour mixture into a whipped cream canister (we use one made by isi). Place top on canister and charge with two nitrous oxide chargers.

Step 4: Assembly

Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place country hams slices in pan and cook until crispy and remove from pan. To complete the dish, drizzle sorghum in the bottom of 4 bowls. Divide sliced pickled ramps into bowls. Place grits on top of sorghum and pickled ramps. Place country ham slices on top of grits, then top grits with hollandaise cream. Serve immediately.

Step 5: Assembly

To complete the dish, drizzle sorghum in the bottom of 4 bowls. Divide sliced pickled ramps into bowls. Place grits on top of sorghum and pickled ramps. Place country ham slices on top of grits, then top grits with hollandaise cream. Serve immediately.