Hot Festive Snacks
Why confine chillies to the Boxing Day turkey curry, when you can easily spice up a range of festive party snacks. You can add a chilli or a dash of chilli sauce to many traditional party snacks to really get your party going and World of Chillies has put together a few ideas for you. From Mayan winter warmers, to American-style Hot Wings, party food has never been hotter!
Serves 4
Ingredients
Pack of chicken wings, jointed (split into small drum and wing tip)
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp chilli sauce
A pinch of pepper
A pinch of ground garlic
8 tbsp flour
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp salt
Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Coat wings in flour, cayenne, paprika & salt mix & put in fridge for 1 – 1 ½ hours
When wings are ready, heat enough veg oil in a pan to cover (deep fry) the wings. Fry for 10-15 minutes until thoroughly cooked. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a small pan until the butter melts and all are combined. When wings are cooked, pop in a bowl pour over sauce, mix and enjoy.
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients
250ml boiling water
1 chilli pepper, cut in half, seeds removed
5 cups light cream or whole or non-fat milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 to 2 cinnamon sticks
8 ounces bitter-sweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons sugar or honey, or to taste
1 tablespoon almonds or hazelnuts, ground extra fine
Whipped cream
Directions
In a pan over a medium-high heat, add the chilli to the boiling water. Cook until liquid is reduced to approximately 1 cup. Remove the chilli, strain water and set aside.
In a pan over a medium heat, mix the cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick until almost at the boil. Lower the heat, add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add the chilli-infused water, a little at a time, tasting to make sure it isn't too strong. If the drink is too thick, thin with a little more milk.
Serve in small cups and offer ground almonds or hazelnuts and whipped cream to finish.
Ingredients
2 avocados
2 tbsp lime juice
1 chipotle chilli, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp sour cream
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Salt to taste
Directions
Mash the avocados until you have a coarse, chunky paste. Gently combine with all the other ingredients until well mixed.
Fed up with boring old tomatoes on your crostini? Try this snack for 4 or a light meal for 2.
Ingredients
Ciabatta stick
Buffalo mozzarella, sliced
Good quality olive oil (for drizzling)
Couple of garlic cloves
Fresh chilli of your choice
Directions
Slice and grill your ciabatta bread until golden. While still hot, Rub with a cut end of garlic and drizzle with the olive oil. Pop a piece of buffalo mozzarella on each slice, and sprinkle with a little de-seeded and finely chopped fresh chilli of your choice. Season and drizzle with more olive oil if liked. Lovely with a little torn fresh basil too.
Ingredients
3 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely diced
1/2 medium red pepper, finely diced
1 small carton of soft cream cheese
2 teaspoons of milk
2 jars pepperonici peppers (or Jalapeno peppers if you like)
Directions
Cook bacon until crisp, drain, and reserve 1tbsp of the bacon fat. Cook shallots and red pepper in the fat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, using hand mixer or a whisk, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add bacon and shallot mixture and beat until just combined.
Spoon cream cheese-vegetable mixture into a plastic sandwich bag. Cut a small corner off to pipe filling into peppers. With a small knife, cut a slit lengthwise in the peppers, being careful not to cut all the way through. Pipe cream cheese mixture into pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.