Thursday, February 14, 2013

Mardi Gras Shooter

Oh my!  These are just the best little appetizers!  Although these appeared as made especially for Mardi Gras, they would be a great addition to any Cajun-inspired meal.  The base is grits, topped with a mixture of shrimp, andouille sausage, and seasonings.

I used shot glasses for these, and sprayed the inside with cooking spray so they would slide out of the glass.  I'm afraid I can't tell you how many shooters this recipe made.....I made six and ended up just eating the leftovers!  But I would guess this recipe would probably make about a dozen shooters.

Bottoms up!!!

MARDI GRAS SHOOTERS (makes approximately 12 shooters)

Shrimp & Sausage:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb andouille sausage, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2-3 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne, optional (the sausage was hot enough for us without the cayenne)
2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped (optional garnish)

Grits:
1 1/4 cups milk
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 tsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits

To prepare the shrimp and sausage, heat the olive oiil over medium heat in a medium-sized saute pan.  Add the sausage and onions and saute for 4 minnutes.  Add the garlic, cayenne pepper, tarragon, S&P, and shrimp.  Toss to coat evenly and saute until the shrimp is fully cooked, about 5 minutes.  Turn off the burner, add the parsley, toss, and set the pan aside.

To prepare the grits, place the milk, chicken broth, butter, S&P into a medium-sized saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and slowly addin the grits, whisking constantly.  Cook, uncovered for 4-6 minutes, or until the grits are tender and creamy.

To assemble the shooters, immediately fill the small, appetizer-sized glasses halfway with the grits.  Top with the shrimp and sausage mixture and garnish each glass with fresh chives, if desired.  

Recipe Source:  QVC: David Venable's Recipes

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