Antipasti with HOOKd Chicken Chips
From the HOOKd kitchen
Antipasti with a Crunch
Creamy ricotta, sweet cherry, sharp pickles — and a HOOKd chip standing on top like a little sail.
Now, I want to tell you about a little starter that looks terribly fancy but is really quite easy to make. It came to us from a chef who put our chicken chips on his antipasti plate, and when we saw it, we simply had to share it with you.
Here's the idea. You take something creamy, something sweet, something sharp, and something crunchy, and you put them all in one little bowl. That's it. That's the whole secret. The creamy part is whipped ricotta, the sweet part is a cherry compote, the sharp part is a few pickles, and the crunch comes from a HOOKd Classic Chicken Chip, standing proudly on top like a little sail.
Don't be afraid of this. If you can stir a pot and use a spoon, you can make it.
What you'll need
For four people
- 1 cup ricotta and 2 tablespoons of cream
- A little lemon, for zest and juice
- 1 cup cherries, pitted (frozen ones are perfectly fine)
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
- 2 beetroots, already boiled until tender
- A small knob of butter
- A few pickled onions or gherkins
- 2 packs of HOOKd Classic Chicken Chips
- A few slices of chicken salami, if you're feeling generous
Let's cook
First, the cherries
Put them in a small pan with the sugar and a squeeze of lemon, and let them bubble gently on low heat for about ten minutes. They'll soften and turn into a lovely, jammy compote. Give it a stir now and then, then set it aside to cool.
Next, the ricotta
Put it in a blender with the cream, a pinch of salt, and a little lemon zest, and whizz it for a minute. You want it light and fluffy, like a cloud. Pop it in the fridge.
Now, the beets
Cut them into thick pieces. Melt the butter in a pan, add the beets and a couple of spoonfuls of your compote, and toss them around for two or three minutes until they're glossy and sticky. Oh, they look beautiful at this stage.
Finally, the fun part
Take small bowls, put a nice spoonful of ricotta in each, and lean the glazed beets against it. Add a little extra compote and a few pickles, and then, at the very last moment, stand a HOOKd chip on top.
A few little secrets
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1
That last-moment chip matters. Put it on just before you serve so it stays wonderfully crisp.
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2
Eat it all in one bite if you can. Use the chip like a spoon: scoop up ricotta and a bit of cherry. Salty chicken, sweet fruit, and cool cream together are just marvellous.
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3
Like a little heat? Try Tandoori Masala chips instead — smoky spice against sweet cherries is a real treat.
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4
Having people over? Make the compote and ricotta the day before. Warm the beets, plate up, and look like a genius.
Now, go on, give it a try. And if it doesn't come out perfectly the first time, no one needs to know. Just smile and serve it anyway.
Bon appétit!
Ready to plate yours?
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