Shrimp and Grits Tarts

Ready for another grits recipe?  My sister made this for a Christmas dinner; it's based on a recipe from Southern Living magazine.   It's easy and makes a wonderfully special appetizer!  What fun to make and then enjoy the taste explosion of tiny shrimp & grits cakes!  You will need three twelve-cup mini muffin pans or 1 24-cup pan and 1 12-cup pan.

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

4 Tablespoons butter (divided)

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup uncooked grits

2/3 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup diced bacon or ham

3 Tablespoons flour

1 ½ cup chicken broth

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

¾ Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

36 medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and cooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine chicken broth, milk, 2 Tablespoons butter and white pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Gradually whisk in the grits; return to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer & cover, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes until thickened.  Add the Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and blended.

Spoon 1 rounded Tablespoon of grits into 36 greased mini muffin cups.  Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.  Make an indentation in centers of warm tarts with back of small spoon.  Let cool completely.  Remove from muffin pan and place each tart on a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.

Melt remaining 2 Tablespoons butter and saute bacon in skillet for a couple of minutes, sprinkle flour evenly over bacon, stirring frequently about 2 minutes or until lightly browned.  Gradually add broth, stirring until smooth. 

Reduce heat and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened, stirring often.  Stir in the parsley and Worcestershire sauce.  Spoon evenly into tarts.  Top each tart with 1 shrimp.

Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or just until warm.  Garnish with chopped parsley.