Finally cracked the code to Truly Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid!! The fry batter is so crunchy it stays crispy even when it’s gone cold, and it’s not at all greasy. There’s no complicated steps or ingredients. Just a specific ratio of flour to cornflour plus an all-important 30 minute refrigeration for the batter!

Ultra Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid

It only took us 3 years to crack the ultimate, truly crispy Salt and Pepper Squid! Hand on heart, this is crispier than any fried squid I’ve had in a restaurant, ever. And I have tried a lot. Once I had my sights set of creating a great Salt and Pepper Squid recipe, I would never pass up an opportunity if I saw it on a menu.

95% of the time, they just weren’t crispy at all which is so disappointing, and all too often they were really greasy. The 5% of the time that they were crispy, the crispness really only lingered for just enough time to eat the bowl of squid – provided you ate very quickly!

Well, our hunt for crispy squid is finally over. It is here today, and it’s incredible! The fry batter is light, super crunchy and not greasy at all. In fact, it’s so crispy it stays crispy even when it’s stone cold!

** If you’re interested in the recipe development process, see the blue box below the ingredients section for more information where I’ve indulged in some background information!**

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid.

The squid

You can use either squid tubes that are sold already cleaned (right, below) or whole baby squid (left) which needs to be cleaned before use (ask your fish monger or do it yourself). Baby squid is nicer because the squid flesh is thinner and more delicate so it’s softer. Plus, the tentacles are the crunchiest! But by no means are cleaned squid tubes a poor cousin.

• Baby squid is sold whole with the head and tentacles attached, and the skin on, as pictured. They range in size but the ones pictured have a body and head about 20 cm / 8” long and tentacles roughly the same length. 

  The body (the tube part) and the tentacles are the edible parts. You can either ask your fish monger to clean the squid for you or do it yourself, see my separate tutorial here. It involves: removing the skin, cleaning out the guts, removing the cartilage and beak, and removing the head. 

• Squid tubes – Sold pre cleaned, sparkling white tubes ready for use! Handier, but it is less tender than baby squid simply because the meat comes from a larger, older squid so it’s thicker. It’s just like animal meat – younger, smaller animal = softer meat, but meat from older animals is by no means tough and chewy if cooked correctly. (And yes, we cook the squid correctly!!)

The crispy batter for squid

We found that the key to the ultra crispy batter for squid came down to using the right flours (cornflour + regular flour), the perfect ratio and the clincher: refrigerating the batter for 30 minutes. If you’re a food nerd like me who is interested in the logic of the why this batter works, read below for more information!

• Flour and cornflour/cornstarch – Just regular plain flour (all-purpose flour). We use a very specific ratio of each to achieve the right level of crispiness and golden colour. This is because cornflour makes things crispy but won’t fry up golden, and if you use too much, the batter is chewy and gets stuck in your teeth. On the other hand, flour batters fry up beautifully golden but are not as crispy, and they soften so quickly. So I use both!

• Baking powder – This makes the batter puff up a bit to make it lighter rather than dense.

• Regular tap water – I use ice cold soda water in other fry batters as a secret trick for crunch. But for this recipe because we need to refrigerate anyway, there’s no need to use cold water. And there’s no point using fizzy water because the fizziness would not last for the refrigeration time.

• Salt and pepper – for seasoning.

How to make salt and pepper squid

Cutting the squid

If using cleaned squid tubes (pictured above), you can start with these steps immediately. If you have whole baby squid (with the skin, head and tentacles, you will need to clean it first. See the separate post on how to clean and prepare baby squid here.

1. Cut down one side of the tube so you can lay it out flat. Pat both sides dry with paper towels.

2. Score – Lightly score the flesh using a small sharp knife into 1.5cm / 0.6” diamonds. Take care not to cut all the way through. Scoring the flesh creates more ridges so the squid fries up crunchier and allows it to cook faster and more evenly which means more tender squid.

3. Rectangles – Then cut the squid into rectangles about 5 x 2 cm / 2 x 1” in size. Exactness isn’t important here.

4. Wings – If you used baby squid, score the wings too (the flappy bits pulled off the tube) then just use them whole. You don’t need to do anything to prepare the tentacles though you could separate them if you want so you get more tentacle pieces. They are the crunchiest bits after all, everybody wants them!

BATTERING & FRYING

This is actually a good recipe to start with if you are new to oil frying because small pieces of squid are easy to handle and it cooks in just a couple of minutes. Much easier than, say, Southern Fried Chicken!

1. Batter – Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Then whisk in the water until lump free.

2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Do not skip or shortcut this step! It’s important to give the batter time for the gluten to develop which will make the batter cling to the slippery squid better as well as frying up nice and crisp, rather than chewy and greasy.

3. Batter up – Put all the squid into the batter. We will fry them in 3 batches and the remaining squid can stay in the batter while you fry.

   Pick up a piece of squid and let the excess batter drip off for a second.

4. Fry – Carefully put the squid into oil preheated to 160°C/320°F (I use my Thermapen to check the temperature). Fry for 2 minutes (baby squid) or 3 minutes (the squid tubes which are thicker). They should be light golden and a bit crispy, but not super crispy – that comes with the second fry!

   The fry time is short because squid cooks really quickly, and nobody wants chewy squid.

5. Drain – Scoop the squid out with a spider or slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined tray to absorb excess oil. Then continue to cook batches 2 and 3.

6. Fry 2 for crispiness – Now, crank up the oil to 200°C/390°F. Then fry the squid in 2 batches for just 90 seconds until it’s very golden and very crispy. This is the step that locks in the crispiness!

   You can do this step in 2 batches, it’s ok to crowd the pot.

7. Bowl – Scoop out the squid into a paper towel lined bowl. Taste first before sprinkling with salt and pepper (the batter has decent seasoning in it so you do not want to over salt!) and giving it a good toss.

8. Serve – Pour into a bowl (wait until you hear the clatter in the recipe video!) and serve with Garlic Mayonnaise (Aioli) if desired (literally just mayo + grated garlic). Or just some fresh lemon wedges.

   Look how happy I am! It is, of course, because the batter is so incredibly crispy and the squid is so tender!!!

This recipe makes a fairly large batch using 500g/1 lb of squid which, once fried up, will fill a tray. As with most fried foods, I figure if we’re going to make it, let’s make plenty!

It’s a meal for 4 to 5 people or a great appetiser for sharing for 6 to 8 people. And though at its prime freshly cooked, this remarkable fry batter crust will stay crunchy even when the squid is cold and it reheats incredibly well. Just pop the squid in a hot oven for 6 minutes just to reheat the crust and warm the squid inside. Take a bite and marvel at the re-incarnation of the crunch!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

See separate tutorial for how to clean baby squid referenced in the video here.

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Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid

Recipe video above. It only took us 3 years to crack the ultimate, truly crispy Salt and Pepper Squid! Hand on heart, this is crispier than any squid I've had in a restaurant, ever. The fry batter is light, super crunchy and not greasy at all. In fact, it's so crispy it stays crispy even when it's stone cold!

After eliminating rice flour, potato flour and tapioca, we found the perfect ratio of flour to cornflour (cornstarch) that fries up crunchy in mere minutes, before the squid can overcook. But the final key was refrigerating the batter for 30 minutes. This allowed the gluten to develop so the batter clings to the slippery squid better and doesn't fry up chewy or greasy.

Course Appetiser, Finger Food, Mains

Cuisine Western

Keyword crispy salt and pepper squid, crispy squid, fried squid

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3 – 8 people

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Squid – choose (Note 1):

• 700 g / 1.4 lb medium whole baby squid , cleaned (better, more tender)
• 500 g / 1 lb squid tubes , already cleaned

Batter (Note 2):

• 2/3 cup cornflour / cornstarch
• 1/3 cup plain / all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
• 2/3 cup cold tap water

Cooking / seasoning:

• 3 – 4 cups vegetable or canola oil (~4cm / 1.5″ depth in a pot)
• Cooking / kosher salt – just a pinch!
• White pepper powder

Easy aioli (garlic mayonnaise):

• 1/2 cup whole egg mayonnaise or kewpie
• 1/2 tsp finely grated garlic

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preparing squid:

• Cut one side of the squid tube to lay it out in one flat piece. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.
• Lightly score the inside with a small sharp knife in 1.5 cm / 0.6" diamonds (don't cut all the way through). (Note 3)
• Cut the squid into pieces 5 x 2cm (2 x 1") rectangles (approximately).

Aioli:

• Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes (up to 24 hours).

Batter:

• Batter – Whisk the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Then whisk in water until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Note 4)
• Heat oil – Fill small heavy based pot or large saucepan with 4cm / 1.5" of oil. Heat to 160°C/320°F on medium high heat. (I use a Thermapen to check the temp)
• Give the batter a quick whisk then add all the squid in a toss to coat. (Including tentacles if using baby squid – it's the crunchiest!)

Fry 1:

• Batter – Cook the squid in 3 batches. Pick up some squid and let the excess batter to drip off. Careful place in the oil. Use chopsticks to seperate the pieces that stick together.
• Fry baby squid for 2 minutes or the regular squid tubes for 3 minutes until light golden. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove the squid on a paper towel lined tray.
• Repeat – Fry remaining squid, making sure the oil comes back to temperature before cooking batches 2 and 3.

Fry 2 – crisp it!

• Increase oil temp – Increase the stove to high and bring the the oil up to 200°C/390°F.
• Bowl – Line a large mixing bowl with double layer of paper towels.
• Fry – Place half of the squid in the oil (it's ok to crowd the pot). Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until it becomes deep golden and crispy. Remove into the bowl. Bring the oil back up to 200°C/390°F then fry the remaining squid.
• Season – Remove paper towel. Taste first then sprinkle lightly with as much salt and pepper as you want (the batter has salt in it already). Toss well.

Serve:

• Pour into a serving bowl and serve with aioli! This batter is so good, it will stay crispy even once the squid has gone cold.

Notes

Servings – This will serve 3 to 4 as a main, or 5 to 8 as an appetiser/finger food. See below for reheating.

1. Squid – Whole baby/medium squid (sold with skin, head etc on) is smaller and more tender when cooked than the larger thicker squid tubes sold already cleaned (but is still very good in this recipe and I will happily use!). Plus, you get tentacles which are the crunchiest and best part! See photos in post for comparison. Get whole squid cleaned by your fisher monger or see my separate tutorial here for how to clean it yourself (it’s not hard). 700g (1.4 lb) whole baby squid = 500g (1 lb) once cleaned.

2. Cornflour = crunch but doesn’t fry golden, and too much makes a batter that gets stuck in your teeth. Flour = not as crunchy but stays golden. Using a combination works best!

3. Scoring – Helps with extra crispy edges and even, fast cooking = more tender squid.

4. Refrigeration – Lets gluten develop so batter sticks better to slippery squid and won’t be chewy or greasy when fried.

Leftovers will keep for 3 days. It will still be crispy when it cools. Refrigerate then reheat in a 220°C/425°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

Nutrition – I can’t calculate, sorry! I can’t guess the amount of oil in each piece. Let’s just say it has more calories than a lettuce leaf but with one bite you won’t care.

More crunchy fried goodness

Honey Prawns – stays crispy!

Crispy Beer Battered Fish

Perfect Crispy French fries

Honey Chicken – STAYS CRISPY for hours!

Fried Chicken

Pakora (Indian Vegetable Fritters)

Fried recipes

Life of Dozer

There is no limit to how low I will stoop for him. 😂

The post Truly Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Jalapeño poppers – warm cheese and bacon dip stuffed inside jalapeños baked until oozing, topped with crunchy golden breadcrumbs. Excellent finger food for parties – I’m thinking Super Bowl Sunday game day food!

Jalapeño poppers

I’m told it’s Super Bowl Sunday this weekend and it was therefore suggested to me that sharing some kind of party food would be on point. So here’s an American game day classic – Jalapeño poppers!! Fresh jalapeños stuffed with a creamy cheesy filling then fried or baked, the jalapeño is barely spicy because the spiciness reduces when cooked.

How i make jalapeno poppers

There’s no one way to make Jalapeño poppers. The stuffing can be herby, or bacony, they can be crumbed and fried, or wrapped in bacon.

Mine have a bacon-cheddar-cream cheese filling (essentially cheese and bacon dip), then I top with shredded cheese to act as a glue for crunchy breadcrumbs. I like to pre-toast the breadcrumbs so they are evenly golden. It takes 3 minutes and so worth it – rather than serving them with a white crumb with splotchy brown patches.

Serve at your next gathering (football present or not) and watch them disappear in a flash!

Ingredients in Jalapeño poppers

Here’s what you need to make them.

• Jalapeños – 12 whole, raw jalapeños about 7.5cm / 3″ long. Longer gets difficult to eat with your hands (imagine – floppy hot cheesy thing) and shorter is a pain to stuff (though you can use more smaller ones if you want. Jalapeño Poppers are not very spicy because the spiciness reduces when cooked. Unless you specifically leaves the seeds in because this is where the spiciness is! See the information box below for how to control the spice level.

• Bacon – Use streaky bacon so it can cook in its own fat and becomes nice and crisp. Lean bacon will not become as crisp and also you’ll need to add fat to cook it.

• Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives because the pieces are bigger than regular breadcrumbs. Find it in the Asian aisle at large regular grocery stores, or Asian stores. Substitute with regular breadcrumbs, but they’re not as crunchy.

• Cream cheese – You can use any brand you like but my go-to is Philadelphia. Low-fat will work but the filling won’t be as creamy.

• Cheese – I like to use a sharp cheddar because it’s got a slightly stronger flavour than regular cheddar. However, you can really use any cheese that melts that has flavour. Not mozzarella – it doesn’t have enough flavour.

• Garlic – I prefer fresh over dried garlic powder which most recipes seem to use. It just has better flavour to me.

• Green onion – For freshness.

• Chives – Optional garnish.

How to make Jalapeño Poppers

As with most finger food, the time is in the stuffing and topping of each individual piece. But the actual making part is very straight forward.

1. Breadcrumbs and bacon – I forgot to film and photograph the bacon step!! Oops. I cook the bacon slices first (cool > crisp > finely chop) then use the bacon fat to toast the breadcrumbs until golden.

   Why pre-toast the breadcrumbs? Because the jalapeno poppers are not in the oven long enough to make the breadcrumbs golden. You end up with a pale brown surface then all the breadcrumbs underneath are white. It’s totally worth the 3 minutes it takes to toast the breadcrumbs!

2. Filling – Set aside 1/4 of the bacon which we will use for the topping. Then mix together the cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and the rest of the bacon and cheese. Just mix until combined.

3. Jalapeños – Split the jalapeños in half then scoop out the seeds. I use a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon which has sharp edges and is the perfect size/shape for scooping out the seeds and most of the membrane (the white rib inside) which are the spicy part of the jalapeños.

4. Stuff – Fill the jalapeños with the filling. You can go slightly above the rim because it sinks a tiny bit in the oven. But don’t be too greedy else there will be overflow. Smooth the surface roughly – no need to be meticulous as we are flattening in the next step.

   Rack on tray – The line the jalapeños up on a rack set on a foil lined tray. Step 7 depicts this. The purpose of the rack is to keep the jalapeños stable as they bake so the cheese and panko stays on. The foil just makes your life easier. Golden crusted cheese is never fun to scrape off trays!

5. Cheese – Top with shredded cheese then press down to flatten the surface and make the cheese stick to the cream cheese filling. The cheese will act as a glue so the panko topping sticks. (Yes, we are using cheese glue today 🙌🏻).

6. Spoon the breadcrumb topping on. Obviously try to minimise how much falls onto the tray but it’s inevitable, especially if you aim to pile the breadcrumbs on pretty generously as I do.

7. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C/375°F (180°C fan) or until the cheese is melted and jalapeno is soft but still holding their shape. Don’t bake too long else the jalapeno will get overly soft and collapse, which will make the bacon dip ooze out everywhere leading to tears and sighs of disappointment……

8. ….instead of this. Look how happy I am! (This is before I sprinkled with the optional chives for a little green finish but after I devoured on, piping hot from the oven).

Let them cool for a bit before serving, but be sure to serve while the stuffing is still hot and oozy. It will stay warm for a good 20 minutes. Plenty of time to transfer them to a platter and pass them around. I provide little serviettes because it’s meant to be eaten with your hands. Does anyone eat jalapeño poppers with a knife and fork?? I feel like that would take some of the fun out the eating experience. And far too classy for me. As you will see in today’s video, especially in the charming little blooper at the end. 😂 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Please note: I had a minor shooting hiccup and as a result the bacon cooking step is not in the video, and I had to use oil rather than residual bacon fat to pan fry the breadcrumbs. The hiccup in question might’ve involved me forgetting to press the record button followed by wiping out the pan. I really need to learn to follow my own darn recipes!

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Jalapeño poppers

Recipe video above. There's no one way to make Jalapeño poppers. The stuffing can be herby, or bacony, they can be crumbed and fried, or wrapped in bacon and baked (that's a LOT of bacon!).

Mine have a bacon-cheddar-cream cheese filling, then I top with shredded cheese to act as a glue for crunchy breadcrumbs. I like to pre-toast the breadcrumbs so they are evenly golden. It takes 3 minutes and so worth it – rather than serving them with a white crumb with splotchy brown patches.

Serve at your next gathering and watch them disappear in a flash!

Course Appetiser, Finger Food

Cuisine American, Western

Keyword jalapeno poppers

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 24 Jalapeño poppers

Calories 77cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 12 jalapeños , about 7.5cm / 3″ long, cut in half and deseeded

Filling:

• 150g / 5oz streaky bacon (Note 2)
• 250g/ 8 oz cream cheese (I use Philadelphia)
• 1 1/2 cups (150g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or regular cheddar, tasty, Monterey Jack, colby)
• 1/2 cup green onion , finely sliced (2 big stems)
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Crunchy topping:

• 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 3)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil

Topping

• 1 cup (100 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or other cheese listed above)
• 2 tbsp chives , finely sliced (optional garnish)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Crumbled bacon – Place bacon in a single layer in a large unheated non-stick pan (no oil, Note 2). Turn the stove onto medium high. As the pan heats up, the fat will start to melt. Once sizzling, cook each side for 2 minutes or until golden. Remove onto paper towels to drain the fat (leave fat in the pan). Repeat with remaining bacon. Once cool and crisp, finely chop into crumbs.
• Toast breadcrumbs – Top up the bacon fat with the oil so you have 2 tablespoons in total. Cool the pan slightly then return to medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and salt. Toast, stirring regularly, until evenly golden – about 3 minutes. Transfer into a bowl and set aside.
• Filling – Put 3/4 of the bacon in a bowl (reserve the rest for topping). Add remaining ingredients then stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Preheat oven to 200°C/375°F (180°C fan). Line a tray with foil then place a rack on it (to keep jalapeños level).
• Stuff jalapeños with the filling, slightly above the rim (it sinks a bit) but not too high else there will be overflow. Place on the rack so the surface is level. Top with the shredded cheese, press down to flatten. Spoon over panko.
• Bake 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and jalapeño is softened but still holding its shape (not saggy).
• Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with reserved bacon and chives. Serve hot! No dipping sauce needed.

Notes

1. Jalapeños – Spicy when raw, not very spicy at all when cooked! If you want spiciness, leave some of the seeds in.

2. Bacon – It will cook in its own fat which melts as the pan heats up. But if your bacon is not fatty, you’ll need to add a bit of oil.

3. Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives because the pieces are bigger than regular breadcrumbs. Find it in the Asian aisle at large regular grocery stores, or Asian stores. Substitute with regular breadcrumbs, but they’re not as crunchy.

Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the fridge, or freezer 3 months. Assemble ahead then bake on demand – they will keep for 24  hours in the fridge (toasting the panko really helps here).

Nutrition per jalapeño popper. Pleasantly surprised! (For once)

Nutrition

Calories: 77cal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Life of Dozer

I often share real life behind the scenes as-it-happens on Instagram. Every time I show snippets of Dozer with who I call “The Magic Dog Doctor” I get a stack of questions about it, so I shared some information about him. So, here it is for website readers too!

His name is Neil Barnsley and he has a practice called Animal Holistic Therapies that uses natural and alternative therapies to treat dogs, specialising in physical issues (joints, muscles, nerves etc). It takes an hour to drive there (western Sydney in a place called Camden) and there’s a reason I’ve been taking Dozer to him for over a decade – because he truly does work magic. His ability to pinpoint an issue by touch is truly astonishing. Take your pooch once, and you’ll understand.

Also, he has saved me many thousands of dollars over the years in expensive scans that he doesn’t need to do to identify a problem, and natural therapies to fix joint, spine and muscle problems rather than injections etc..

He is also who I consulted to create Dozer’s natural food diet (ie no dog food) which he’s been on for almost 8 years. At age 11, his fur is still shiny and healthy, his eyes are still very clear, his teeth are excellent for a dog of his age, much in part, Neil tells me, due to his food.

He’s a legend. Thank you Neil!

PS He is very, very in demand so I book many weeks out to take Dozer.

The post Jalapeño poppers appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

You can’t imagine how good a ham sandwich can be until you’ve tried Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders! Rolls stuffed with ham and cheese smothered in an onion poppyseed butter sauce baked until the cheese is melty, this American game-day favourite is excellent big-batch party food that is leftover Christmas ham-worthy! (Find more suggestions here).

Leftover Christmas ham recipe idea!

Wouldn’t it be great to re-purpose leftover Christmas ham to make something to ring in the new year?? The answer is here – Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders!!

If you’re wrinkling your nose wondering why is she so excited about a ham sandwich??! – here’s why: because this is not your usual boring ham sandwich. This is a ham sandwich dialled up to 10 by baking it smothered in a savoury seasoned onion butter until the cheese is oozy, the bread is crusty and it’s soaked up the butter sauce.

It’s not something I made up, though I’d love to take credit for it! It’s a popular American party-food favourite. Excellent big-batch food that’s a crowd pleaser, easy and economical to make that can be eaten with your hands. Ticks a lot of boxes!

Recipes for ham and cheese sliders are pretty standard, involving – well, ham, and cheese (I know, you’re shocked), buns and a butter mixture seasoned with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and onion (sometimes fresh, sometimes dehydrated).

So there’s nothing groundbreaking with the ingredients I’ve used but I do have some specific steps I take during the making process that aren’t standard. With good reason though, relating to cheese melting and butter soakage. These are important issues!!

What you need for Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders

I’m sharing this recipe with leftover Christmas Glazed Ham in mind. Though truthfully, I’ve always just made this with boring old deli-ham.

Filling and Onion Poppyseed Sauce

For the filling:

• Ham – As noted above, this recipe was shared with the intention of using leftover Christmas Ham! But you can use any ham you want. I like using shaved ham so you can pile layers and layers on.

• Swiss cheese – This is the classic cheese though you can use any melting cheese you want, such as cheddar, tasty, gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby (though I personally wouldn’t use mozzarella because it’s not flavoured enough). While I used pre-cut slices for convenience, you can cut or shred your own.

• American mustard – for spreading on the buns. This is the bright yellow stuff that comes in squeezy bottles that’s tangy and not spicy. You can substitute with any other smooth mustard though if you use a mustard like Dijon, you won’t have the same signature yellowy tang, plus it’s more expensive. ⚠️ Just don’t use hot English mustard. Too spicy!!

For the Onion Poppyseed sauce:

• Unsalted butter – melted

• Poppyseeds –  Traditionally used, adds nuttiness and visual effect, plus you get to make fun of everybody who gets the seeds stuck in their teeth. But don’t make a special trip just to find them. Worth making without!

• Finely chopped onion – Just standard brown onions, or substitute with white onion for eschallots (US: shallots, the baby onions).

• Salt, pepper and garlic powder – Flavourings / seasoning.

• More American mustard! For the signature tang and colour.

The bread

As for the bread, you just need a slab of soft white rolls that are stuck together that measure around 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ so it fits snugly in a standard size pan. The rolls pictured below are from Bakers Delight (an Australian bakery chain), 12 rolls is the perfect size. If you’re in the states, 1lb of Hawaiian rolls (12 large or 24 small) are literally the perfect size.

Soft is best because the onion butter soaks in better than using crusty, chewy artisan bread (like sourdough) and the whole sandwich just kind of melds together nicely. White is traditional through if you’re feeling the need to be a bit virtuous, wholemeal bread is fine too.

How to make Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders

There’s one thing I do differently from the usual, and that is to give the cheese melting a head start by baking it without the lid first. Once you put the lid on, this massively slows down the cheese melting process – from cold, it takes an hour, by which time the bread on the edge of the pan is far too crusty and dry. In fact, if you look closely at most Ham and Cheese Slider recipes online, the cheese is not melted except on the outer edges. That doesn’t work for me!! 🙅🏻‍♀️

1. Split the slab of bread in half, keeping the rolls stuck together so you can bake in one piece.

2. Spread the base and lid with mustard.

3. Top with ham;

4. Then cover with cheese.

5. Bake without the lid for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted;

6. Butter sauce – Meanwhile, mix together the Savoury Butter ingredients.

7. Remove the sliders from the oven. Melty cheese, hurrah!

8. Top with the mustard-smeared lid.

9. Smother with the Onion Poppyseed Sauce;

10. Bake covered with foil for 20 minutes;

11. Pierce for soakage – Remove foil then stab the crevices where butter is pool to encourage it to soak into the bread;

12. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until the top is crusty. Then cut and serve!

Serve hot

I’ve seen some recipes call for the sliders to be left to cool before serving, during which time all that effort to melt the cheese is undone.

If that’s your preference, go right ahead! But for me, eating it while the cheese is oozy and the butter is shiny and the ham is warm and the bread is soft and cosy…. That is an eating experience that is pure joy. Watch the video. You’ll see how happy to makes me. And then, it’s your turn!! 😇 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders

Recipe video above. You can't imagine how good a ham sandwich can be until you've tried Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders! Rolls stuffed with ham and cheese smothered in a tangy mustard onion butter sauce baked until the cheese is melty, this American game-day favourite is excellent big-batch party food that is leftover Christmas ham-worthy.

The mustard and onion really works in this, lending savouriness and tang that sets this apart from the usual boring lunchbox ham sandwiches! And there's probably less butter per roll (1 3/4 tsp each) than if you spread it on like usual. (Did I just convince myself this is healthy? 🤣)

Course Party Food, Sandwich

Cuisine American

Keyword baked ham and cheese sandwiches, hot ham and cheese sliders

Servings 12

Calories 332cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Sliders:

• 12 standard or 24 small soft white roll slab (23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" slab) – Note 1
• 1/3 cup American mustard (ie bright yellow stuff) – Note 2
• 350g/ 12 oz ham , shaved or thinly sliced (up to 500g/1lb, Note 3)
• 250g/ 8 oz Swiss cheese or other melting cheese slices (10 – 12 slices)

Onion poppyseed butter:

• 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter , melted
• 1/4 onion , finely chopped
• 2 tbsp American mustard (Note 2)
• 1 tbsp poppyseeds (Note 4)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder (sub fresh garlic, finely minced)
• 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced). Line the base of a 23 x 33cm / 13 x 9" pan with paper (Note 5)
• Savoury Butter – Mix ingredients together.
• Assemble base – Cut the slab of rolls in half horizontally. Spread base and lid with the 1/3 cup mustard. Place bread in pan, top with ham then cheese. NO LID YET!
• Bake topless – Bake 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. (Note 6)
• Smother – Remove bread from oven. Top with bread lid, pour/spoon over butter, leaving no patch naked.
• Bake covered – Cover with foil, bake 20 minutes.
• Pierce for soakage – Remove foil. Pierce the intersections where the corners of the rolls meet to encourage pooled butter to soak into the bread.
• Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until top is crusty.
• Cut while hot then serve!

Notes

1. Soft rolls best so everything kind of melds together. Aim for a slab that will fit snugly in a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ pan. Australia: 12 Bakers Delight rolls fit perfectly, that’s what I use  US: Hawaiian rolls are the perfect size, 12 large or 24 small.

2. Mustard – American mustard is the classic here though you can use any mild mustard. Not hot English mustard (too spicy!) and not wholegrain (too bumpy).

3. Ham quantity – If using ham you bought or glazed then slice yourself, you can easily increase this to 500g / 1 lb. The lower amount is for shaved or thinly sliced store bought ham.

4. Poppyseeds –  Traditionally used, adds nuttiness and visual effect, plus you get to make fun of everybody who gets the seeds stuck in their teeth. But don’t make a special trip just to find them. Worth making without!

5. Pan – If you don’t have a pan this size, use a tray with foil and wrap the bread to hold the butter in as it bakes.

6. Baking topless – Important step to ensure cheese melts. If you try with bread lid on at the start, it takes almost an hour before cheese melts. Or, accept the cheese won’t fully melt. (I can’t accept that).

7. Recipe credits – Created with reference to many recipes found online such as the NYT Cooking one and this one from The Kitchn, except, as noted in post, the cheese didn’t melt which is not cool so I changed the method.

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days (subject to remaining shelf life of ham used). Revive by reheating in the oven.

Nutrition per roll. 

Nutrition

Calories: 332cal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 798mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 374IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 2mg

More slider-type things that make excellent party food

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

Reuben Sandwich recipe

Banh Mi ! (Vietnamese sandwich)

Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Chicken Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich)

Cuban Pork Sandwich (Cubanos) from Chef Movie

Life of Dozer

Shot of the year? Mum swimming towards champagne and Dozer swimming towards mum!

The post Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

The best haloumi recipe I know – Haloumi Fries! Think – French fries, but better. The outsides are crunchier (thanks panko!) and the insides are warm, salty haloumi cheese. Guaranteed crowd pleaser for a party or as a starter. Fry, bake or air-fry!

It started as a salad.

I found myself in a typical situation of having an excess stash of something (haloumi in this case) because it was steeply discounted and I couldn’t resist. Let’s make a gorgeous haloumi salad! I declared enthusiastically, channelling the virtuous side of me.

There were several iterations. And they were all delicious……but then someone had the genius idea to try haloumi fries and all of a sudden, the salads were long forgotten.

So yes, these haloumi fries evolved from salads. You can connect the dots, right? 😂

( I did share a haloumi salad recipe once – it’s here.)

Just briefly, on Haloumi Fries (& haloumi)

Named as such because they look like fries except made with haloumi, Haloumi Fries are not a new thing. They have been on the menu of Mediterranean and plenty of non-Mediterranean restaurants/bars/bistros for years, and there’s loads of recipes on the internet.

Haloumi is a cheese from Cyprus that’s firm, salty and briny. It’s a bit like Greek feta. However, feta crumbles whereas halloumi does not crumble as well, halloumi goes golden brown when pan fried whereas feta does not, and feta semi-melts when heated whereas halloumi does not. Which is why it’s ideal for making fries!

What you need for Haloumi Fries

Here’s what you need to make Haloumi Fries:

• Haloumi – or halloumi. A firm briny cheese from Cyrus, feels like Greek feta. Find it vac-packed in the cheese section. Has an excellent long shelf life so I stock up when discounted!

• Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most large grocery stores (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section but cheaper in Asian stores! Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.

• Spices – For seasoning the flour coating. Adds extra flavour. Not essential…but why skip it?? The Italian herbs is just the generic store bought pre-mix sold in every grocery store. I use it regularly in my recipes, like the One Pot Beef Pasta I shared recently!

• Egg and flour – The glue, to make the panko stick to the haloumi.

• Oil for shallow frying – Canola, vegetable or any other neutral flavoured oil. Even olive oil (but don’t waste your money using pricier extra virgin olive oil!).

Garlic yogurt sauce

We’re making a quick garlic dipping sauce today using yogurt as the base. The cool tangy creaminess with lovely hit of garlic goes so well with the haloumi fries, so don’t skip it!

• Plain yogurt – Not sweetened. Preferable Greek. If you use low-fat, it won’t have the same mouthfeel because it’s not as thick and creamy, but it will work just fine!

• Garlic – Finely grated using a microplane or grater so it disappears into the yogurt.

• Lemon – Just a touch, for extra freshness. Substitute with vinegar.

• Extra virgin olive oil – To add a bit of richness to the sauce. We only use a tiny amount.

• Salt – For seasoning. Again, just a tiny amount!

How to make haloumi fries

It’s actually relatively fast because they only take 90 seconds to fry. I can do a batch in 20 minutes from start to finish. I also like that it’s more shallow-fried rather than deep fried. Just – less splatter, less oil to deal with, etc etc. (I’m a selective deep frier. ie I only fry when it’s really worth it!).

1. Cut the haloumi into sticks around 1.5cm / 0/6″ thick. The length will depend on the shape of your haloumi. I cut mine into 5 slices lengthwise, then each into half which makes uniform fries, and get 20 pieces.

2. This is me cutting the slice in half to form a fry.

3. Garlic dipping sauce – Probably should have put this first because I do it first! Just mix the ingredients together then set aside while you make the haloumi fries. It needs at least 15 minutes to let the flavours infuse and meld.

4. Crumbing – OK, crumbing time! Flour first….then shake off excess.

5. Then egg – hold it up to let the excess drip off.

6. Than the panko. Press to adhere well and make sure there’s no naked patches!

7. Fry the halmoui sticks for just 90 seconds until golden and crisp in oil pre-heated to 180°C/350°F.

   Oil temperature testing – If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil temp using a small cube of white bread. It should take 15 seconds to turn golden and crispy.

8. Drain the cooked fries on a paper towel lined tray. Then continue cooking.

   Because haloumi fries only take 90 seconds to cook, you don’t need to worry about keeping cooked ones warm in the oven.

   Once they’re all cooked, serve with the garlic dipping sauce!

Baking and air-fryer options

Whenever I share a deep fried recipe, the most common question is – can I bake this? And hot on it’s heels these days is – can I make this in my air fryer?

So today, we’ve tested it out and happy to report that you can!

The baked option is best made using my panko pre-toasting technique where the breadcrumbs are baked in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes to make them golden and crunchy before using. Otherwise, they will come out pale with brown spots rather than a beautiful even golden brown like when fried. It’s not a big deal – spread on the same tray you’ll be baking the haloumi fries. Tried and proven technique that readers love in recipes such as Crunchy Chicken Tenders, Baked Filet-O-Fish and Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu! Crumb the halloumi, then bake on a rack at same temp for 20 minutes or until crunchy. 

The air fryer option works a treat! Pre-heat air fryer to 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Oil spray fries and spray the basket. Place all haloumi fries in a single layer in a 7 L/qt+ air fryer. Cook for 9 minutes until crispy and golden!

Difference to fried version (honest option) – The baked version is about 80% as good as the fried version. You lose some moisture from inside the haloumi because it takes longer to get the crunchy coating in the oven (even with pre-toasting). The air-fryer version, however, is excellent!

The crumbing on both the air fryer and baked versions split a wee bit simply because they take longer to cook than in the oil which is a super fast 90 seconds.

How to serve haloumi fries

Haloumi fries typically appear on menus as a starter or a small-dish tapas option. It’s a food for nibbling, something completely different from your usual chips ‘n dips. Not that I have anything against chips ‘n dips, being the snack monster that I am (proof – my full dip recipe collection here!).

But, sometimes it’s nice to have something different to the usual that will impress the pants off your family and friends. The combination of the warm, softy, salty halloumi insides and the golden crunchy crumb with the cooling garlicky yogurt dip is every snack monsters’ dream come true. I really hope you try this one day! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Haloumi fries

Recipe video above. These can be baked, air-fried or shallow fried (best, most golden and crunchy and fastest). It's the best haloumi recipe I know – Haloumi Fries! Think – french fries, but a whole lot more interesting and faster to make. Super crunchy outside (thanks panko!) and warm, salty haloumi cheese insides.

Excellent snack, starter for a Mediterranean menu or passing around at parties.

PS The garlic dipping sauce is the perfect dunking sauce.

Course Appetizer, Snack, Starter

Cuisine Greek, Western

Keyword haloumi fries, haloumi recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Calories 403cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 360g / 12oz haloumi cheese blocks , 2 x 180g/6 oz blocks (Note 1)
• 2 cups canola oil (or other natural oil)
• 2 large eggs , whisked

Flour dredge:

• 1/2 cup plain/all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs (Note 2)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary paprika)
• 1 tsp ground white pepper (sub black pepper)

Crumbing:

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs – or ordinary breadcrumbs (Note 3)
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Yoghurt garlic dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 garlic clove , finely grated using a microplane
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (sub white vinegar)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Garlic dipping sauce – Mix ingredients in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes to let the flavours develop.
• Cut the haloumi into fries around 1.5cm / 0/6" thick. The length will depend on the shape of your haloumi. I cut mine into 5 slices lengthwise, then each into half which makes uniform fries, and get 20 pieces.
• Dry – Pat halloumi mostly dry using tea towels.
• Prep – Using 3 bowls large enough to toss the halloumi, put the eggs in one bowl, mix Flour Dredge in another and mix Crumbing ingredients in a third.
• Crumb – Dip a haloumi fry in flour, shake off excess. Dip in egg, allow excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere, then place on tray. PRO: Do 2 at a time. 🙌🏻 Toss haloumi in breadcrumbs (by tossing the bowl) so you don't have to touch. 🙌🏻
• Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over high heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F (Note 4).
• Fry 5 haloumi sticks at a time for 1 1/2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined tray. Repeat with remaining haloumi.
• Air fry and baking – see Note 5.
• Serve hot with yoghurt garlic dipping sauce!

Notes

1. Halloumi – A firm white salty, briny Greek cheese usually sold in vac packs. It doesn’t melt into ooze when cooked which is why it’s ideal for making fries!

2. Italian herbs – Store bought mix you can find in any grocery store. Substitute with any mix of dried oregano, basil, parsley.

3. Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most large grocery stores (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section but cheaper in Asian stores! Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.

4. Oil test – If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil temp using a small cube of white bread. For 180C/350F, it should take 15 seconds to turn golden and crispy.

5. Air fry option (excellent!) – Pre-heat air fryer to 200°C/390°F for 5 minutes. Oil spray fries and spray the basket. Place all haloumi fries in a single layer in a 7 L/qt+ air fryer. Cook for 9 minutes until crispy and golden!

Baking (haloumi dries out a little more than frying) – Spread breadcrumbs on tray, spray generously with oil then at bake 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the tray halfway, until the breadcrumb is golden. (If you don’t do this, your fries will end up pale and splotchy not an even golden colour). Crumb the halloumi, then bake on a rack at same temp for 20 minutes or until crunchy. 

6. Leftovers reheat quite well! 10 minutes in a 180C/350F oven. It’s 90% as good. If making for a crowd, I’d happily serve reheated haloumi fries!

Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. I made an estimation of oil that actually ends up on each piece and factored in leftover flour and breadcrumbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 403cal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 826IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 793mg | Iron: 2mg

Life of Dozer

Reviewing today’s recipe video with me. (And drooling all over the keyboard in the process – but can we blame him? Absolutely not!)

The post Haloumi fries appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.