Halloween Recipes, Part II: Witch Doctor's Delight

Special Feature

Recipes:
Witch Doctor's Delight
for Black Magic Month

By Kate Heyhoe

Spellbinding Squid Tentacles
with Apothecary Aioli
aka: Spicy Fried Calamari with Lemon Aioli

This squid makes the ideal Halloween food: it's chewy (pleasantly so—not like rubber bands), crunchy, and the curled up orange and black tentacles produce an outstanding eerie effect.

Apothecary Aioli
aka: Lemon Aioli

Note: This lemony aioli, a mayonnaise type of sauce, does contain raw eggs, so if you're concerned about serving it, you can substitute 1-1/2 cups bottled mayonnaise mixed with the same quantities of lemon, mustard, garlic, white pepper, and bread of the recipe, thinning with ice-water if too thick (don't add the oil).

"Shaman's Shrimp"
aka: Skillet Cajun Shrimp

This vivid orange sauce with shrimp looks spectacular in a black cast-iron skillet.

"Santeria Sangria"
aka: Sangria Cha Cha Cha

Sangria Cha Cha Cha At Cha Cha Cha, they make this sangria from a mix of red and white wine, but for our Halloween night, I prefer to use all red wine— it doesn't quite look black, but it does reinforce the darkness of the underworld. For a festive punch, freeze a layer of water in a ring mold or clean gallon milk container. Place a layer of grapes, fruit slices and edible leaves or herbs on top, add more water to cover, then freeze until solid. Unmold by placing in hot water, then serve the sangria in a punch bowl with the frozen mold or block instead of ice cubes.

Recipes and photos from Cook, Eat, Cha Cha Cha, by Philip Berber; photographs by Ian Reeves. Chronicle Books, 1997, $17.95. Reprinted by permission.

Black Magic Month: Halloween Count-Down

First Bites of the Night

Brujo's Burning Balls of Fire in Vermilion Sauce
Toasted Nori Bat Wings
Portabella Toadstools on a Log
with Slithering Crimson Salamanders
Musical selection: That Old Black Magic, Frank Sinatra

Part II: Witch Doctor's Delight

Spellbinding Squid Tentacles
Apothecary Aioli
Shaman's Shrimp
Santeria Sangria
Musical selection: Witch Doctor, as sung by David Seville's Alvin and the Chipmunks

Part III: Seasonings of the Witch

Bewitched Black Bean Enfrijoladas
Blithe Spirit Pumpkin Flan
Hellfire 'n Damnation Flaming Cocoa/Caffe
with Mango Cream
Musical Selection: Season of the Witch, Donovan

Part IV: Last Minute Devilish Dips & Mexican Days of the Dead

Black & Orange Tapenades
Chiles Con Queso
Days of the Dead & Pan de Muerto
Musical Selection: Witchy Woman, The Eagles

More Recipes

A Kinder, Gentler HalloweenI Ain't No Vampire
('Cause Garlic Tastes Good to Me)Halloween PartiesTransylvanian Dinner: Going for GoulashSmashing Pumpkins...and Other Culinary ActsThe Edible Zombie: A Haunting Halloween Meal