Mild grits make a delicious base for gluten-free seafood meal
Laura Byrne Russell shows how easy it is to incorporate this Southern staple into a Creole-flavored dinner. Plus, learn about a valuable new program at all Thriftway stores that helps shoppers with allergen awareness.
GLUTEN FREEDOM: Eat them plain, as a base for stews, or cut up and sautéed for breakfast with syrupBy LAURA BYRNE RUSSELLSpecial to The OregonianI enjoy anything made from corn, and my most recent obsession is grits. Made from either dried ground dent or flint corn, grits are available in a number of different grinds, including fine (instant grits), medium or coarse. My favorite type is the coarse stone-ground variety because it really retains the flavor of the corn. Coarse grits may be a bit harder to find (farmers markets or gourmet markets are your best bets), but you'll have great results with a medium grind as well.Recipe included with this story: Creole-Inspired Shrimp Sauté With Thyme GritsGrits are quite simple to prepare: Just whisk them into boiling water (or milk or chicken broth) along with a pinch of salt, then simmer them over low heat until creamy. The timing will depend on the grind, but grits generally take between 40 and 60 minutes to cook. Stir the grits frequently to keep them from sticking to the pan. If they get too thick during cooking, just whisk in additional liquid to get them to the consistency you like. I love very soft grits as a base for stews and sautés, but you can also refrigerate the leftovers in a loaf pan, cut them into slices, sauté them and serve for breakfast with maple syrup. Grits -- tasty at any meal! Gluten-free field trip Lamb's Markets offer a fantastic program called "Free From ..." in all of its five locations. Free From is an allergen awareness program that helps shoppers select products that meet their dietary constraints, including sensitivities to gluten, dairy, wheat, nuts, soy and fish. The program consists of new product introductions and sampling events, monthly in-store specials, and e-mail updates regarding products and special events both in the stores and around town. Shelf tags identify products as being part of the Free From program. If you're new to a gluten-free (or other restricted) diet, you can even set up a private tour of the store to help find substitutes for old favorites. To join the e-mail program, send a request to
FreeFrom@lambsmarkets.net. For a store tour, send an e-mail request to the same address or call 503-344-4741. Lamb's Markets have stores at the following locations: Lamb's Garden Home, 7410 S.W. Oleson Road Lamb's Palisades Thriftway, 1377 S.W. McVey Ave., Lake Oswego Lamb's Wilsonville Thriftway, 8255 S.W. Wilsonville Road, Wilsonville Lamb's on Scholls, 12220 S.W. Scholls Ferry Road, Tigard Lamb's at Stroheckers, 2855 S.W. Patton Road. Laura Byrne Russell is a food writer and recipe developer. Before moving to Portland, she worked for the book division of Food & Wine magazine and for The Food Network.
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