Halloween Party Food

These dishes will make your party go with a swing, or a bump, in the night!

Vampire soup

2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp olive oil
2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
½tbsp tomato purée
450g raw beetroot, well washed (or cooked natural beetroot, not in vinegar, if so omit step 1)

Seasoning

Method

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Wrap the beetroot individually in foil and bake in the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Cool, peel and cut into 1cm/½in dice.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions and the garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the chilli powder and cook for another minute. Add the tomato purée and tins of tomatoes, season well and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Liquidise the soup and add more water if you want it thinner. Stir in the beetroot cubes, heat through and serve with herby garlic bread.

Cauldron Casserole

Seasoning

Method

Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Cut the top off the pumpkin to make a lid and scoop out seeds. Cut away the flesh from the insides, making sure you do not cut through the skin – leave at least a quarter inch of flesh inside for insulation. Cut the pumpkin flesh into 1cm cubes. Lightly oil the outside of the pumpkin.
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the chicken until golden. Remove.
Add the leeks, garlic, peppers and bacon to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the stock, bring to the boil and season well. Add the chicken and pumpkin cubes.
Pour the mixture into the pumpkin and put the lid on. Place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the stew is piping hot.
Stir in the chopped parsley and serve straight out of the pumpkin cauldron.

Other Spooky Article Links