EVER SINCE THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS OF JAMESTOWN,
Virginia, were greeted by Indians in 1607 with bowls of softened maize with salt and hog fat (“rockahomini”), there’s been confusion even in the South over the difference between hominy and grits. In short, hominy is whole, dried corn kernels soaked in water and lye to remove the outer hulls; dry and grind hominy, and you have grits (or, in Charleston, South Carolina, “hominy grits”). The only old-fashioned hominy I’ve encountered was made by a Tennessee housewife, but fortunately the canned beads of corn are not only much easier to handle but just as good as the handmade product. Today, hominy is used to make all sorts of breads and puddings, but it’s also a major ingredient in homey casseroles such as this one, intended to be served alongside roasted meats and fowl and even barbecued pork ribs.

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 scallions (white parts only), minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1⁄4 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
• One 28-ounce can hominy, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimentos
• 1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 1⁄2 cup half-and-half

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 1-quart casserole and set it aside.
2. In a small skillet, melt the butter over moderately low heat.
3. Add the minced scallions, garlic, and chopped mushrooms to the skillet.
4. Stir the ingredients until the mushrooms release their liquid, approximately 5 minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Arrange the hominy evenly across the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
6. Layer the cooked mushrooms, chopped pimentos, 3⁄4 cup of grated cheddar cheese, and sour cream on top of the hominy.
7. Season the layers with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.
8. Pour the half-and-half over the top of the casserole.
9. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheddar cheese evenly over the top layer.
10. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven until golden, approximately 25 minutes.
11. Serve the dish hot.