Suzanne Vizethann built her career around brunch—the recipes and the ritual of it. The chef, cookbook author, and founder of Buttermilk Kitchen in Atlanta and Camden, Maine, is known for refined, locally sourced Southern comfort food—from signature biscuits and house-made jams to seasonal egg dishes and generous breakfast tables. A “Chopped” champion with appearances across Food Network, including on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” Vizethann turned her obsession with breakfast into a year-round philosophy. Her best-selling cookbook Brunch Season: A Year of Delicious Mornings from the Buttermilk Kitchen gathers more than 60 sweet and savory recipes for beautiful gatherings, including this no-waste asparagus grits recipe. This tasty breakfast side makes excellent use of late-spring produce while being a delightfully Dr. Seuss-y addition to the brunch spread.
No-Waste Asparagus Grits Recipe
This is an elevated dish, using the entire vegetable with the addition of a few other ingredients. I feel the proudest when I know that I have used the whole vegetable to its capacity.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
For the Asparagus Stock
- Bottom portion of stems from 1 bunch asparagus; reserve stalks and tips 1 head garlic, sliced in half 1 bunch thyme
- 6 cups water
For the Grits
- 1 cup white coarse-ground grits
- 3 cups asparagus stock plus
- 1 to 2 additional cups as needed 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Reserved stalks from 1 bunch asparagus, tips removed and reserved
- 1 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
- Unsalted butter
- Coarse sea salt
- Microgreens to garnish
Method
- Prepare the asparagus stock by combining the asparagus stems, garlic, thyme, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes. Take off the heat and discard the solids.
- To make the grits, place the grits in a 4 1⁄2-quart saucepan and cover with 3 cups of the asparagus stock. Using a whisk, stir a couple times to allow the chaff and hulls to float to the top; skim them off using a fine wire-mesh strainer and discard.
- Turn the heat to high and stir energetically to keep the grits moving until the liquid comes to a boil and the grits start to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the salt. Reduce the heat to low until the grits are just barely bubbling and stir every 5 minutes for the next 30 minutes, adding additional stock each time you stir if the grits look dry. Cover for the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time, until the grits are creamy and tender.
- Put the asparagus stalks into a small saucepan with 1 cup heavy cream. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the asparagus are tender. Pour the mixture into a high-speed blender and purée until smooth, adding more cream to thin it out to the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes. Add the mixture to the grits and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, melt a little unsalted butter in a small skillet and lightly sauté the reserved asparagus tips. Pour the grits into individual serving bowls and top with butter, sea salt, the asparagus tips, and some microgreens
