Grilled Salmon with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan Grits

Just got back from a wild and crazy Halloween in Atlanta with the grandkids. That means I didn't have time to prepare a dish for today's blog post. I did find this fabulous dish on BlogHer and it sounds so yummy and is so very southern, I thought I would share it. Can't wait to try it myself.

 Grilled Salmon with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan Grits
via BlogHer

Ingredients:

For the Parmesan Grits:

• 2 cups chicken broth (see note in directions about grits to liquid ratio)
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup stone ground grits
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Cholula hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the  Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme 
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Grilled Salmon:

• 4 6 ounce salmon filets, preferably with skin on
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• grill spray
• 8 small sprig of fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Preheat a gas grill on high.

For the Parmesan Grits:

1. Bring the chicken broth and milk to a boil.  Note:  follow the grits to liquids ratio on your brand and use half milk and half chicken broth.
2. Stir in the grits, turn down the beat and cook the grits for the time indicated on your brand's packaging, stirring occasionally.  Cooking times can vary between 5 for quick grits and 45 minutes for stone ground grits.
3. Stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, Cholula, salt and pepper.  Keep the grits on low heat, stirring occasionally, until you are ready to serve.  Add a little chicken broth to the grits if they become to thick.

For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

1. Toss the cherry tomatoes with  the olive oil, thyme, garlic salt and pepper.
2. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast the tomatoes for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. The tomatoes should be soft and beginning to caramelize.
4. Turn the heat down to 200 degrees to keep the tomatoes warm until you are ready to serve.

For the Grilled Salmon:

1. Rub both sides of the salmon filets with the olive oil. Sprinkle the side without skin with the salt, pepper, and thyme.
2. Clean the grill thoroughly and coat the grate with grill spray. 
3. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the grate.
4. Cook the salmon for 5 to 7 minutes. As the salmon cooks it will turn from opaque pink.
5. Turn the salmon over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. If the salmon starts to burn, or the flames flare up move the fish to a cooler part of the grill.
6. Remove the fish from the grill.
7. Spoon about 2/3-cup of grits into the center of each plate.  Top each with a salmon filet and 1/4 of the tomatoes.  Garnish each plate with two small thyme sprigs and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 60 minutes

Hope you are having a yummy Tuesday.