insideKENT Magazine Issue 44 - November 2015 | Page 69

FOOD+DRINK

It’s Party Season!
If there’s one thing we love about Christmas, besides the…well…everything, it’s the
parties. And what party would be a party without a smorgasbord of mouth-watering
canapés? From Mince Pie Pinwheels to Crispy Chilli Squid, try some of these recipes
from Kent Cookery School to keep your guests happy this winter.
Baby Potato Skins
with Cheese and Crispy Bacon

Crispy Chilli Squid with Soy and Ginger Dip
Makes approximately 20 pieces

Makes 20
Ingredients
• 1 large squid tube
• 100ml milk
• 50g plain flour
• 50g corn flour
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp freshly chopped chilli (optional)
• Vegetable oil for frying

Make the dipping sauce by simply combining all
of the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and
set aside.
Now mix together the flour, spices, salt and
chopped chilli. Place a frying pan or wok on a
high heat and add enough oil so the base of the
pan is covered by 1 cm of vegetable oil.

For the dip:
Ingredients
• 10 new potatoes
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
• 1 tsp chopped chives
• 2 tsp chopped leeks
• 25g cheddar cheese
• 25g Parmesan
• 1/2 tsp English mustard
• Splash of Worcester sauce
• 1 egg yolk
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
Method
Wash the potatoes and place them in an oven
dish or roasting tray. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and
a pinch of salt and pepper and roast the potatoes
in the oven at 200ºC for 1 hour. Once cooked
allow to cool completely.
Meanwhile, place the bacon under the grill on a
medium heat until nice and crisp on both sides.
Once cooked allow to cool and then finely chop.
To make the cheese mixture, mix together the
cream cheese, chives, leeks, cheddar, Parmesan,
English mustard, egg, Worcester sauce and
cayenne pepper in a bowl. Once the potatoes
have cooled, cut them in half and scoop out
some of the potato so you have a small hole to
put the cheese mixture.
Add the scooped out potato to the cheese
mixture and mash together with a fork. Now lay
out the potato skins and top them with the
cheese mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes at 200ºC and served straight
away.

• 1 tsp grated ginger
• Ju ice of half a lemon
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 birds eye chilli (sliced)
Method
Cut the squid tube open by cutting up one side
so it opens like a book. Gently score the inside
of the squid so you have a crisscross pattern.
Make sure the cuts are roughly 1/2cm apart each
time.
Now cut the squid in half, slice each half into 10
strips. Place the strips into the milk with a pinch
of salt and set to one side.

Mince Pie Pinwheels
Ingredients
• 500g mince meat
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 50g flaked almonds
• 1kg puff pastry
• Icing sugar to dust
Method
Roll out the puff pastry to 3mm thick, cut in to
squares 15cm x 15cm.
Spread a thin layer of mince meat over the pastry,
then dust with mixed spice and brown sugar.
Roll the pastry up keeping it as tight as you can.

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Remove the squid from the milk and dust each
piece well in the flour. When the oil just begins
to smoke add 4-5 pieces of squid at a time and
fry for 2 minutes, moving it frequently to ensure
the squid cooks evenly. When the squid is cooked
remove from the pan and drain the excess oil on
kitchen paper. Repeat the process until all the
squid is cooked.
Arrange the squid on a platter with the dipping
sauce on the side in a dish and serve immediately.

Place the pastry in the fridge for 15 minutes to
help it set. Then cut the pastry into 1cm thick
slices. Place each piece on a baking tray leaving
a 1-inch gap between them. Scatter over a few
almonds and bake in the oven at 180ºC for 20
minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly
before serving, dusted with icing sugar.