Devilishly good fun

Perfect for entertaining the grown-ups on Halloween, these little nibbles and drinks make perfect party fare all year round – just change some of their ghoulish names!

 

Scar pies

These little pies make a great snack all year round

Makes 12 pies
Ready in 1½ hours
Price per serving 42p

2tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 red and 2 orange peppers, deseeded and sliced
75g Asda Extra Special Iberico Chorizo, finely chopped
400g can Asda Chopped Tomatoes With Garlic
500g pack Asda Ready to Roll Shortcrust Pastry
flour, for rolling out

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion over a low heat until soft. Add the peppers and chorizo and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Leave to cool.
2 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board. Cut out 12 rounds with an 8cm cutter and use to line a bun tray. Cut out another 12 rounds with a 6cm cutter for lids, and cut scar shapes into these.
3 Fill the tartlets with the tomato mixture. Lightly wet the rim of the pastry and lay the pastry lids on top, pressing the edges to seal.
4 Cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

 

Devils on horseback

A delicious take on the popular classic

* Spoon ½tsp mango chutney into the cavities of 24 pitted prunes. Press an almond into each one.
* Stretch 12 rashers of streaky bacon by running the blunt side of a knife along them, and then cut in half lengthways. Wrap each prune in a piece of bacon and put join-side down on a baking tray.
* Cook in the oven at 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5 for 15 minutes.

 

Chicken wings

This marinade makes chicken irresistible 

* Make two cuts in the fleshy part of a 1.1kg pack of chicken wings and put them in a large freezer bag.
* In a bowl, mix together 4tbsp tomato ketchup, 2tbsp each clear honey, dark soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and Worcestershire sauce, 1tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1tsp crushed dried chilli flakes. Pour into the bag of wings and shake well so the chicken pieces are well coated (make sure you hold the top of the bag firmly). Chill for an hour.
* Turn into a large roasting tin and roast at 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5 for 45 minutes.

 

Spicy mini meatballs

Bite-size balls bursting with flavour

* Mix 500g steak mince, 1 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli, 1 crushed garlic clove, 50g each breadcrumbs and chopped chorizo, 2tbsp each chopped flat-leaf parsley and chives, and 1tbsp each sweet chilli sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
* Shape into 32 small balls. Put on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 for 15 minutes.

 

Eyeball potatoes

Stuffed olives are perfect for creating “eyeballs”

* Prick 12 baby potatoes. Rub with oil and bake at 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 for 40 minutes.
* Halve, scoop out the flesh and divide between two bowls. Add 150g Asda French Roule Cheese to one bowl, season and mash.
* Add a 185g can drained tuna chunks, 2tbsp Asda Extra Special Tomato and Sweet Chilli Chutney, 50g Asda French Roule Cheese and a few drops Tabasco sauce to the other bowl. Season and mash.
* Divide the fillings between the potato skins and top each with half a stuffed olive. Reheat in the oven for 10 minutes or until piping hot.

 

Pumpkin soup

Our delicious autumnal cover star!

* Fry a large chopped onion in 1tbsp olive oil and 25g butter until soft.
* Add 800g cubed pumpkin (weighed without skin) and a large peeled and diced sweet potato, and stir to coat.
* Cover the pan and cook over a very low heat for 5 minutes. Add 2tsp each ground coriander and ground cumin and 1.5 litres hot vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes or until tender.
* Cool slightly, then purée in a blender. Stir in 400ml whole milk and season to taste. Reheat and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds to serve.

 

Blood shots

Divine pots of chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis

Serves 12
Ready in 35 minutes, plus chilling
Price per serving 41p

125g fresh or frozen raspberries
2tbsp caster sugar
150g Asda Dark Chocolate
3tbsp Kahlua or black coffee
2 large free-range eggs, separated*
150ml pot Asda Extra Thick Double Cream, to serve

1 Purée the raspberries with 1tbsp of the sugar. Press through a sieve and pour into 12 shot glasses.
2 Put the chocolate and liqueur in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir until smooth. Whisk the egg yolks with 1tbsp sugar until creamy and fold into the chocolate.
3 Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the chocolate. Add to the glasses and chill in the fridge for an hour. Top with a dollop of cream to serve.
*This recipe contains raw egg

Harvey Wallbanger jellies

An adults only sweet treat

* Soak 5 gelatine sheets in a little water for 5 minutes, then drain. Put in a bowl with 6tbsp warm water, stand it in a pan of simmering water and stir till the gelatine dissolves.
* Mix 350ml Asda Extra Special Orange Juice with 100ml vodka and the gelatine. Pour into 12 shot glasses and chill until set. Float 1tsp Galliano on each glass. Decorate with orange pieces.

 

 

Spooky cocktails

Drinks to literally get you into the spirit of things

Ghostly brew
Serves 4
Fill a large jug with ice. Pour in 125ml white rum, 4tbsp Malibu, 2tbsp Midori, 2tbsp coconut cream, the juice of a lime and 250ml pineapple juice. Stir. Push four cocktail cherries into the holes in four canned lychees and drop one in each glass. Pour in the cocktail. Serve with extra cocktail cherries.

 

Bloody Mary
Serves 4
Fill a large jug with ice and add 200ml vodka, 1tbsp lime juice, 1tbsp lemon juice, a dash each Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and 450ml tomato juice. Stir. Serve in glasses with celery sticks and cucumber slices.

Witch's hat
Serves 4
Fill a cocktail shaker or jug with ice and add 175ml each Dubonnet and gin, and a dash of Angostura Bitters. Shake or stir and serve in martini glasses.

Devil’s punch
Serves 10
Put 150g sugar in a pan with 300ml water and heat slowly until it dissolves. Add a strip of lemon zest to the pan, along with a cinnamon stick, 4 cloves and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Heat until simmering, then simmer for 4 minutes. Add a bottle of red wine and half a bottle of port. Slice an orange and add to the pan. Heat slowly until almost boiling, then remove from the heat and serve.