Grits Cakes

A better name for these might be "fancified cornmeal mush" or "southern-fried polenta."

4 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned stone-ground yellow grits
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly-ground pepper
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup olive oil

Line a 9-inch square pan with wax paper. In a heavy saucepan, bring the broth to a boil and slowly stir in the grits. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.

Stir in the cream and simmer, still stirring, another 10 minutes. Season it with the salt and pepper. The grits will be thick. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula, and cool. Chill for at least two hours or overnight.

Sprinkle cornmeal onto a work surface. Invert the grits onto the cornmeal and remove the wax paper. Cut the grits into four squares and halve the squares diagonally to form 8 triangles. Coat each triangle with the cornmeal. In a heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the grit cakes in batches until golden on both sides (about 3 to 4 minutes total), adding more oil if necessary to keep them from sticking. Drain them on a paper towel.

Serve them with homemade salsa.