Grits Pot Pie

Ingredients:

Grits:

• 3 cups chicken stock or water
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup yellow or white coarse grits
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried sage, optional
• 2 eggs

Filling:

• 1 lb ham steak, diced
• 2 leeks, sliced, washed, and dark green tops discarded
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt to taste

Topping:

• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation:

• To prepare the grits, bring the chicken stock, butter, and milk to a boil in a medium saucepot. As soon as it begins to boil, whisk in the grits, stirring constantly until the girts become suspended in the liquid. Turn down to low heat and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the saucepot from the heat, then stir in the salt and sage.



• In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then slowly pour them into the hot grits while stirring constantly until they are not lumpy. Set aside.



• To prepare the filling, start by preheating a 10–12" skillet on medium heat. Sauté the diced ham and leeks with the butter. Once the leeks have become soft and translucent, add the tomatoes and thyme, then the pepper.



• In a mixing bowl, stir together the cornstarch and the chicken stock until there are no lumps. Add this mixture to the skillet, plus the milk. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the skillet from the heat and add salt to taste.



• To finish and either store or bake the dish, start by dividing the prepared filling between 6-8 (6-8 oz) ramekins. Pour the grits over the filling and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.



• If you want to bake right away, then preheat the oven to 350°F and cook the ramekin pot pies for 20–30 minutes.



• Otherwise, you can leave the ramekins in the fridge for tonight's dinner or freeze for a quick meal in the future.