Menu suggestions:
Snacks
Cocktail stick nibbles – very retro!
Spear onto a cocktail stick:
- a small cube of cheese (my favouite is Ewe’s milk Ossau Iraty) or firm vegan cheese
- a red seedless grape or stuffed olive
Parsnip crisps
500g parsnips
Salt
1.Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas 3.
2. Using a peeler, peel long strips from the parsnips and place in a large bowl with the sunflower oil. Season with pepper and toss well.
3. Arrange the parsnip strips in single layers on two baking trays.
4. Roast in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5. Sprinkle with salt.
Finger food
Curried Squash Fritters
Makes 8
Time taken 20 minutes
200g peeled butternut squash
40g chickpea flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1tbsp rapeseed or groundnut oil
1. Grate the squash coursely into a bowl
2. Mix in the the salt and curry powder
3. Stir in the chick pea flour and mix well squashing the mixture with the back of a spoon until the ingredients stick together. If too dry add a tbsp of water.
4. Heat the oil gently in a nonstick pan. Add a tablespoon of mixture for each fritter and shape it to form patties.
5. Fry on a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
Recipe by Quinces and Kale
Dark chocolate nut treats
Makes 10
Time taken 15 minutes
100g dark chocolate
50g roasted hazelnuts – lightly crushed (or buy finely-chopped hazelnuts)
30g dried cranberries – cut in half
1.Lay out a sheet of baking paper on a large baking tray.
2. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water.
3. Leave to melt.
4. Mix the nuts and cranberries into the liquid chocolate.
5. Use a spoon to drop the mixture on to the baking paper at well-spaced intervals to allow for the chocolate to spread.
6. Leave in a cool place to set for a couple of hours.
Adapted from a recipe in The Guardian by Rachel Roddy