Halloween isn’t just for kids trick or treating any more – grownups like to party too. And they take it very seriously.
If you’re looking to host a bewitchingly delicious party this 31 October, you’ll want these recipes from Kamado Joe’s Ben Forte and Trewithen Dairy on the menu.
Spicy belly pork squid burger
Serving up a guaranteed headturner for Halloween parties, this insane burger looks like a monster from the deep. Ben Forte, barbecue master at Kamado Joe, shares his twist on a surf and turf burger.
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4-6 pork belly strips
Two whole squid
1 tbsp miso
2 tbsp gochujang paste
6 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp honey
4 tbsp soy sauce
Korean spice rub eg Angus and Oink
500ml medium sweet cider
1 tbsp Chinese five spice
2 tsp salt
Runny honey, a good drizzle
12 or so spring onions
2 tbsp sunflower oil (any neutral oil will work)
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Brioche buns – (squid ink brioche buns optional)
Method:
1. Mix 1 tbsp of the gochujang, Korean rub, miso, garlic, soy and honey over the pork belly strips and set aside in the fridge for 24 hours.
2. At least an hour before cooking, remove pork from the fridge to come up to temperature.
3. Prepare your barbecue to 120-130C. Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with spring onions, then lay the pork belly over the top and cover with cider until the pork is just covered. Top up with a little water if necessary.
4. Pop a lid on the dish and slow cook for about 5-7 hours or until tender and fat is translucent. Set aside.
5. Add soapstone or cast iron griddle to the barbecue and start bringing the barbecue up to searing temperature of 350C minimum. Prepare your squid, then coat it in the salt and Chinese five spice.
6. Toast your brioche buns now and set aside. Mix mayonnaise and the remaining gochujang and spread on the top and bottom of buns.
7. When your cooking surface is scorching hot rub with your neutral oil. Carefully grill the pork belly strips to give them extra caramelisation and a nice crust. Then throw the squid on to sear quickly for about two minutes – hot and fast.
8. Now build your burger. Eat immediately, making sure you spill sauce everywhere.
Roasted pumpkin soup with yoghurt Halloween spiders web
This easy, fun and delicious “spider web” soup makes a for a nice break from all the sweet treats and is perfect for warming up the kids before they head out trick and treating (and the real party begins).
Serves: 4 generously
Ingredients:
1 kg pumpkin
Olive oil
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
1L veg stock
To serve:
Natural yoghurt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Slice the pumpkin into wedges and place on a large baking tray. Chop the onion into wedges and smash the garlic and add to the pumpkin. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. Roast the pumpkin for 50 minutes or until it is golden brown. This will vary depending on the sugars in the pumpkin variety you’re using so do check.
4. Tip the contents into a large saucepan and add a little of the hot stock. Blitz with a stick blender and continue to add the stock until you have reached your desired consistency.
5. To serve with a spiders web on top, fill a freezer bag with yoghurt, snip the end off and draw a spiral in the middle of the soup. With a toothpick, draw lines from the centre outwards so it feathers the web.
Pumpkin spiced Swiss roll with Cornish clotted cream
It’s pumpkin spiced latte season, and this Swiss roll incorporates all the warming flavours of autumn. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove combined in a fluffy sponge, rolled up with rich Cornish clotted cream. It’s so light, you’ll want to go back for seconds – or thirds!
Ingredients:
200g caster sugar
100g plain flour
½ tsp fine salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
3 eggs
150g pumpkin puree
200g Trewithen Dairy Cornish clotted cream
100g mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing sugar for dusting
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 35x25cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the dried ingredients – sugar, flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and spices.
3. In a stand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Then gently stir through the dried ingredients.
4. Spread into the prepared baking tin and bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.
5. While still warm, turn the cake out onto a clean tea towel and gently peel off the baking paper. Score a slight indentation across one of the short sides, then very carefully roll the cake into a tight log, taking the tea towel along with it. Allow to cool in the rolled position.
6. In a large bowl, combine the Cornish clotted cream, mascarpone and vanilla extract until smooth.
7. When the cake is completely cool, gently unroll and spread with a thick layer of the cream filling. Carefully roll it back up and place seam-side down. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
