Smoky Grits With Roasted Tomatoes And Mushrooms - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes
10 ounces baby bella mushrooms, halved
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups water
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
4 ounces smoked gouda cheese, shredded
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured black olive, chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put a rimmed baking sheet in the oven while it's heating.
Toss the tomatoes, mushrooms, thyme and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and dump the vegetables onto the pan, shaking to evenly distribute. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the tomatoes burst and the mushrooms are soft, shaking the pan once or twice, 15 to 20 minutes.
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the grits and the remaining teaspoon salt, cover, turn the heat to low and cook until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir the cheese into the grits and keep warm.
Serve the grits with the roasted vegetables and scatter the olives over top.
Tip: Try using different varieties of mushrooms, or a mix of them, to add contrasting flavors.