From the menu of ... Prime

A: We Atlantans love our grits. Prime’s executive chef Dan Garner sent us this recipe for the restaurant’s creamy stone-ground grits, spiced with just a little poblano pepper and pepper jack cheese. This signature dish dates from the 1990s when the restaurant first opened as Tom Tom. These days, you’ll find the grits offered as a side dish, or served with Prime’s wood-grilled salmon with sweet chile spinach.

With all the cream and half-and-half, this is a very decadent dish. You could swap out chicken broth for some of that dairy, but you wouldn’t have the same rich result. The length of time you cook the grits will vary depending on the grind of the grits you purchase. Use the time given here as a guideline.

Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you'd like to make at home? Tell us and we'll try to get it. We'll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put "From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.

Prime’s Creamy Stone-Ground Grits

Hands on: 10 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 6 cups

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons finely diced poblano pepper

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup stone-ground grits

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (about 2 ounces)

Salt and white pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat and sauté poblano and garlic until they just turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cream, half-and-half and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and slowly add grits, stirring until there are no lumps. Reduce to a simmer, cooking until grits are tender and begin to pull away from the side of the pan, about 35 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove grits from heat and stir in cheese, then season to taste. Add more half-and-half if needed to thin out the consistency. Serve warm.

Grits may be prepared ahead to this point and poured onto a baking dish to cool. Warm grits by bringing a small amount of milk to a simmer and adding grits a little at a time until the proper consistency is reached and grits are heated through for serving.

Per 1/2-cup serving: 262 calories (percent of calories from fat, 72), 5 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 21 grams fat (13 grams saturated), 74 milligrams cholesterol, 60 milligrams sodium.