Cracker Christmas snacks Food
Last week, I joked that people on the Christmas party circuit needed an injection of greens to keep them going through to December 25. This week, I’m focusing on quick snack food solutions for Christmas party hosts. These take less than 15 minutes to make.
Smoky mussel and chickpea dip
Makes about 1 1⁄2 cups Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: nil
This is an extremely addictive dip. It’s high in protein and very satisfying, especially if you’ve been surviving on Christmas chocolates and coffee.
Eat it with onion wafers, as described below, or boost your vegetable quotient by serving with sticks of celery or carrot.
❚ 180g garlic smoked mussels, liquid drained off
1⁄ 12x -1 400g teaspoon tin chickpeas, hot sauce drained (such as and Tabasco rinsed or Kaitaia
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❚ Freshly squeezed juice and zest of 2 lemons
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❚ A handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
❚ 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
❚ A pinch of smoked paprika
Put all the ingredients, except the salt, pepper and smoked paprika in a food processor or blender. Whizz until smooth-ish, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl or jug as necessary. Taste for seasoning – it may need more lemon juice, salt or pepper – and whizz again. Scrape into a bowl and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve.
This can be made in advance and stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days before using. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Makiri’s onion wafers
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes
Yes, that really is a packet of onion soup mix in the ingredients below. They’re a homage to the famous onion wafers my great aunt, Makiri Corry, would serve with drinks. Makiri made hers with white sandwich bread, but I think they’re even better with thin pita bread.
❚ 5 medium pita breads (about 20cm diameter)
❚ 4 tablespoons butter, softened
❚ 1 packet Maggi dried onion soup powder
Heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius and line two oven trays with baking paper.
Cut the pita breads through the middle (so you end up with two circles). Spread with butter, then sprinkle the onion soup on top, gently pressing it in so it doesn’t fall off. Cut the pita circles in half, then cut each half into four wedges. Arrange these pieces on the prepared oven trays,
Bake for about five minutes, until the pitas are toasted and golden but not browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Kept airtight, they will last for about a week (as long as no one knows they’re there).