Deviled Eggs

The quantities I list are for large numbers at a party, so you can reduce ratios as needed, or as your taste requires. I should also mention that my approach to Deviled Eggs has less to do with strict adherence to the term “Deviling”, add rather more to do with going a bit mad in the kitchen cupboards. If you think the combination of mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, and curry powder seems downright appalling, trust me it works. Personally, I find the most difficult bit of this recipe to be the boiling of large amounts of eggs at one time. Inevitably I find, regardless of how carefully I’ve stirred the eggs, once I’ve peeled and halved them, far too many of the yolks have come right to the edge-or poked right through- the whites. I say stuff ‘em anyway.

You will need:

• 24 eggs, hardboiled, peeled, and halved, yolks seperated into a bowl.
• a good slug of white wine vinegar
• 1 small jar mayonnaise (I use low fat)
• 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 dessert spoons ketchup
• 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• a generous slug of Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 teaspoons mild to medium curry powder
• salt to taste
• paprika for dusting

Mash the yolks finely with a fork, adding the slug of vinegar to help them cream. Stir in the mayonnaise to make a smooth paste, and beat quite hard to get air in. Then simply add the rest of the ingredients, somewhat tentatively at first and tasting as you go. Be careful with the cayenne, especially if you’re using the medium curry powder. Heat can be added but never subtracted. Once all the ingredients are in, go in with a whisk to keep the mixture fluffy. The mixture actually benefits from standing around for a few hours to let the flavours settle. Then just stuff the eggs, and pile it high on top and dust with paprika. You will have a bit more stuffing then you have eggs, so leave a bit for yourself and spread on toast!

Homemade Yakitori

Yakitori is no more nor less then Teriyaki Chicken on skewers. For myself, I’d use chicken thighs, but I find that most people are still somewhat dark meat-phobic when it comes to poultry, so I’ve used breast mini-fillets here. You can buy bottled teriyaki sauce, but I find that it has a rather metallic taste, and anyway I tend to have all the ingredients for my version to hand, so it’s not a chore to make. You can also make this with cuts of beef or pork, but then you can’t call it Yakitori, apparently.

You will need:

• 1 1/2 small bottles dark soy sauce
• 2 dessert spoons dark brown sugar (or honey)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• a thumb size piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• a good slug of sherry (or rice wine, if you have it)
• 20 chicken breast mini fillets (I find I can buy them in packs of ten, or you can buy a few whole breasts and slice them thinly yourself)
• wooden skewers, soaked for at least 30 mins

Simply mix all the ingredients for the marinade- up to the fillets- together in a suitably sized bowl. No one flavour should predominate. Then pour half the marinade into a sealable container, add the chicken fillets, and reserve the rest. Mix the fillets well, and marinate for 1/2 hour at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge. I find the longer you leave them, the better.

Once you’re ready to cook the fillets, preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit/200 Celsius/Gas Mark 6. Thread each fillet onto a pre-soaked skewer in an S-shape (basically three times). Working in batches, place the skewers in a rack over a roasting tin and bake for 15 minutes, turning halfway through and basting with the reserved marinade (NOT the marinade you’ve soaked the fillets in).

As each batch comes out of the oven, baste again with the reserved marinade, and baste a coupe more times as the skewers cool. I serve these at room temperature.

You can also grill these skewers or even barbecque them, for that added smoky taste.