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1
Place grits in a heavy, medium saucepan.
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2
Add 2 cups spring or filtered water and stir once.
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3
Allow grits to settle a full minute, then tilt pan and, using a fine tea strainer or fine skimmer, skim off and discard chaff and hulls.
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4
Cover and allow grits to soak overnight at room temperature.
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5
If using fresh tomatoes, preheat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil.
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6
Place tomatoes on foil and roast under broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, until blackened and soft.
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7
Turn over and roast on other side until blackened and soft, 3 to 4 more minutes.
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8
Remove from heat and when you can handle them, core and skin.
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9
Place tomatoes (fresh or canned), chiles, garlic, and onion in a blender and puree, retaining a bit of texture.
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10
Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil over high heat in a large, heavy skillet or saucepan until a drop of puree sizzles when it hits the pan.
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11
Add tomato puree and cook, stirring, for about10 minutes, until sauce thickens, darkens, and leaves a canal when you run a spoon down the middle of the pan.
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12
Season to taste with salt and remove from heat.
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13
Keep warm while you cook grits and fry eggs (you can also make the salsa while the grits are cooking, but I like to focus my attention on the grits).
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14
Heat 2 cups water in a small saucepan to a bare simmer and keep hot.
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15
Set saucepan with grits over medium heat.
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16
Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the first starch takes hold (the mixture will begin to thicken and you will no longer have to stir constantly).
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17
Reduce heat to lowest possible setting.
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18
The grits should not be bubbling, they should be sighing, or breathing like somebody in a deep, comfortable sleep, rising up lazily in one big bubble, then falling as the bubble bursts.
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19
Watch carefully and each time they are thick enough to hold a spoon upright, stir in about 1/4 cup of the hot water.
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20
Stir in the salt after the first 10 minutes of gentle cooking.
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21
It should take about 25 minutes for the grits to be tender and creamy and by this time you should have added 3/4 to 1 cup water (perhaps a little more) in 3 or 4 additions.
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22
Just before grits are done, fry eggs over medium-high heat, preferably in a nonstick skillet that is lightly coated with oil (use as much of the remaining tablespoon of grapeseed oil as you need to).
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23
The yolks should still be runny and the whites set; this takes about 4 minutes.
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24
When grits are done tender, creamy but not mushy, and able to hold their shape on a spoon stir in butter vigorously, add pepper, taste (carefully dont burn your tongue after all that care) and adjust salt.
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25
If they have stiffened up stir in some more hot water.
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26
Spoon onto plates and make a depression in the center with the back of a spoon.
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27
Spoon salsa ranchera into the depression and top with an egg.
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28
Season egg with salt and pepper if desired, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
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29
You may have some ranchera sauce left over but if you only use a small can of tomatoes you might not have enough.
