Spider Spoons Recipes

DEEP-FRIED TARANTULA SPIDER

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 350°F.
• With a sharp knife, sever and discard the abdomens from the two tarantulas. Singe off any of the spider's body hairs with a crème brûlée torch or butane cigarette lighter.
• Dip each spider into the tempura batter to thoroughly coat. Use a slotted spoon or your hands to make sure each spider is spread-eagled (so to speak) and not clumped together before dropping it into the hot oil.
• Deep-fry the spiders, one at a time, until the batter is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Remove each spider from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain.
• Use a sharp knife to cut each spider in two lengthwise. Sprinkle with the paprika and serve. Encourage your guests to try the legs first and, if still hungry, to nibble on the meat-filled mesothorax, avoiding the spider's paired fangs, which are tucked away in the head region.

CHOCOLATE SPIDERS

Steps:

• Chop the chocolate confectioners' coating and place into a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the chow mein noodles so they are evenly distributed. Spoon out to desired size onto waxed paper. Let cool completely before storing or serving.

SPIDER'S NEST DIP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and 1/2 packet of taco seasoning with 1 cup of the sour cream (hold the rest of the sour cream to decorate). Set mixture aside.
• Spread a thin layer of refried beans in the bottom of a microwaveable serving dish. Add a layer of shredded cheese. Heat dish in microwave for 1 minute, until cheese is slightly melted.
• Drain the salsa and layer it over the cheese. Drain the olives and layer over the salsa. Add a layer of the sour cream mixture. Add a layer of guacamole.
• To decorate the top, spoon a medium sized dollop of sour cream in the center. This is the spider's "nest."
• Spoon the rest of the sour cream into an air-tight bag. Cut a very small piece out of 1 of the bottom corners of the bag and, starting at the outer edge of the dip, pipe a thin circle around the perimeter. Create another circle half way between the perimeter circle and the center dollop, creating 3 circles.
• Using a knife blade, toothpick or skewer, drag a thin line of the sour cream from the "nest" outward toward the edge of the dish. Continue making lines all around the "nest" to complete the spider web design. Position whole black beans onto the sour cream "web."
• Embellish with plastic decorative spiders. Serve with a bowl of blue tortilla chips, and watch your guests scurry to get a bite!

SPIDER ROLLS

Steps:

• Bring rice and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
• Place rice in a large bowl, and gently stir in rice vinegar with a spoon until combined. Cover rice mixture, and let rest 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle crabs with salt and black pepper. Dredge crabs in flour, shaking off excess flour.
• Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add crabs, top sides down; cook 3 minutes, gently pressing body and legs against pan. Turn crabs over; cook 3 minutes. Cut each crab into quarters, leaving legs attached.
• Cut off top quarter of nori sheet along a short end. Place nori, shiny side down, on a sushi mat covered with plastic wrap, with a short end toward you. Pat 3/4 cup rice over nori with moist hands, leaving a 1-inch border on short end of nori closest to you.
• Arrange 4 crab pieces and 4 avocado slices horizontally over rice, allowing crab legs to extend over long edges of nori. Sprinkle each sheet with 2 tablespoons green onions and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.
• Lift short edge of nori closest to you; fold over filling. Lift bottom edge of sushi mat; roll toward top edge, pressing firmly. Continue rolling to top edge; press mat to seal sushi roll. Slice each roll into 8 pieces with a sharp knife.

GARLIC BAKED BRIE SPIDER

Steps:

• Slice a grid on top of a brie wheel; approximately 4 slits horizontally and vertically.
• Insert thinly sliced garlic in the slots.
• To make the spider legs: roll out a sheet of puff pastry dough; then a layer of prosciutto on top; cut 1-2" strips.
• To make the spider's head: take a puff pastry dough and make it into a small ball (the size of a large meatball); slice black olives and insert them into the ball to make the eyes and fangs.
• Position the head and brie wheel on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Twist each strip of pastry dough/prosciutto and place them around the spider's body to form the legs.
• In a bowl, mix olive oil, rosemary, thyme, basil, salt and black pepper; spoon the mixture over the brie cheese wheel.
• Brush egg wash over the head and legs.
• Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

SPOOKY SPIDER CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line a muffin tin with 12 cases, preferably brown ones. Put the butter, sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Break the eggs into a smaller bowl, taking care not to get any shell into it, then tip on top of the butter mixture.
• Add the baking powder and vanilla to the larger bowl, then beat with an electric hand whisk until smooth and creamy. Stir in the chocolate drops or chocolate. Spoon the cake mixture evenly into the cases and bake for 20-25 mins until golden - a cocktail stick pushed into the middle of one of the cakes should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
• To decorate the cakes, unravel the liquorice wheels and cut into lengths with scissors to make dangly legs. Stick 8 into the top of each cake, making small cuts with the tip of a sharp knife so they push in really securely.
• Spoon the chocolate spread on top and spread lightly within the liquorice legs to make a round spider's body. Now cut the Allsorts to make eyes and the red bootlaces to make mouths, then stick them onto the cakes and dot on the icing to make eyeballs. Will keep for up to 2 days in a cool place.

SPIDER DEVILED EGGS FOR HALLOWEEN

Steps:

• Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water, and peel.
• Cut each egg in half lengthwise, remove the yolks, and place the yolks in a bowl with the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mash the yolks and stir the mixture until smooth and thoroughly combined.
• Fill each egg half with the deviled yolk mixture using a spoon, piping bag, or a sturdy plastic bag with a corner cut off.
• Cut olives in half and place 1 half on each filled egg as the spider body. Cut the other olive half into 4 strips. Cut each strip in half, so you end up with 8 thin olive pieces for the legs. Arrange 4 olive legs on each side of the spider body. Dust with paprika.