NYC LND is making a serious home kitchen out of Cargo in August. Dante Fried Chicken will be the guest chef on August 30, cooking up some good ole New York inspired southern soul food – apricot pecan cabbage salad, sock-it-2-me nuggets, coconut mac N cheese, and more. This is not your typical school dinner menu. Try this Coconut Banana Grits recipe to get a sampling taste of what you can expect next month at NYC LND. Pair that up with the sounds of headlining live act BLK JKS latest single “Summertime” (check the jukebox) + Phil Asher (Restless Soul London), DJ Reborn (Ubiquita NYC), Patchwork Pirates (Thugs N Hugs London), and you’re really cooking!
Utana’s Coconut Banana Grits
Ingredients:
11/2 cup coconut milk
11/2 cup pineapple juice
4 ripe bananas
dried coconut (sweeten or un-sweeten)
2ibs. grits (not quick cook) – polenta or yellow grits optional
butter or olive oil
ginger root (optional)
sugar, maple syrup, honey, or alternative sweetener
2 whole fresh coconut for homemade milk (optional)
please note* if you make your own go to www.coconut-connections.com

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Toast dried coconut in oven to golden brown or cajun reserve for later.
3. Dice 2 bananas finely and a lil’ ginger
4. Puree coconut milk, pineapple juice and 2 whole bananas,
5. Bring mixture to a boil in a large pan, before turning the heat down to low.
6. Keep stirring the grits or polenta with a wooden spoon to keep it smooth, add sugar or alternative sweetner to taste butter optional.
7. Continue to simmer gently for 10-15 minutes (polenta 25 minutes), stirring often.
8. in frying pan sauté diced banana’s and ginger (optional) with butter or olive oil, till soft then add brown suger, honey, or maple syrup. simmer stir with spatula .
9. Pour grits into baking dish, then top sparsely with sauteed bananas and top generously with baked coconut.
SERVE IT UP! and then hit us up here for a chance to win tix to this exceptional evening.