- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup stone-ground grits (see note)
- Salt
- 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 cups boiling water
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional oil for brushing pan
- 1 small carrot, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 medium celery rib, thinly sliced crosswise
- 3 medium garlic cloves, lightly smashed
- 4 ounces large white or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 1 sprig tarragon
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup dry sherry
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/4 pounds fresh porcini, chanterelles or stemmed shiitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup snipped chives
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large ovenproof saucepan, combine the milk with the 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Whisk in the grits and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring back to a boil, whisking constantly. Cover the grits with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 1 hour, or until the liquid is nearly absorbed and the grits are just tender; stir at least once with a wooden spoon while baking.
- Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, combine the dried porcini with the 3 cups of boiling water and let soak until the porcini are softened, about 15 minutes. Drain the porcini and reserve 2 cups of the soaking liquid. Finely chop the porcini mushrooms.
- In a large saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic and cook over moderate heat until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the white mushrooms and the chopped porcini mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley, tarragon and 2 of the thyme sprigs. Stir in the wine and sherry and cook over moderate heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved 2 cups of porcini soaking liquid and boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes.
- Strain the sherry broth into a small saucepan, pressing hard on the solids with a ladle or wooden spoon. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the butter. Season the sherry broth with salt and pepper.
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the fresh porcini mushrooms and the remaining 3 thyme sprigs and cook over moderately high heat until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Return the grits to low heat and vigorously whisk in the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the chives, then season the grits with salt and pepper. Spoon the grits into warmed shallow bowls. Top the grits with the sauteed porcini and spoon the sherry broth all around.