The only thing scarier than a late-night dinner party with people you don’t know is a late-night dinner party with people you don’t know and no snacks.
Thirty minutes have passed, awkwardly idling around the periphery of the room, surreptitious searching for a table of small bites, to no avail. It’s already past the usual dinner hour and you swear you can hear your stomach growling louder than the low din of the crowd. No on else seems troubled, though. Are the other guests not suffering from the same hunger? Could it be that they’ve already fed, on something more nefarious than cheese and crackers? It’s best not to ask.
Contemplating a silent escape back out into the darkness, a platter materializes from the shadows. It arrives almost as if summoned, carried through the room by an unseen hand. No one else seems to notice, but the time for restraint has long passed. If you have to take the first, and at this rate, the last bite, so be it. Every passing minute without food feels like another minute closer to death.
Looking down at the bruschetta perched atop a stiff napkin, perhaps its already too late. Luminous like an apparition against the backdrop of jet-black beluga lentils, those thick slabs of feta look otherworldly. Are those cavernous eyes peering back at you? A gaping, cavernous mouth screaming out in the void?
No, get a grip, you’re just hungry. Best to graciously accept and eat your appetizer and stop overthinking. It’s not the raucous Halloween party you expected, though you have to say, it’s surprisingly spirited nonetheless.
Boo-schetta
For a Halloween appetizer that will haunt your guests for years to come, look no further than ghostly boo-schetta! Tofu feta spooks a bed of herbed lentil salad, set upon crisp toast. It's a spirited snack for insatiable appetites.
Ingredients
Tofu Feta:
- 1 (14-16 Ounce) Package Extra-Firm Tofu
- 3 Tablespoons White Miso Paste
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/2 Cup Water
Herbed Black Lentil Salad:
- 3 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Dry Beluga Lentils
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 3 Scallions, Thinly Sliced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Dill, Minced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, Minced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Minced
- 1 Clove Garlic, Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Aleppo Pepper or Sweet Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Assembly:
- 1 Loaf French Bread, Cut into 1/2-Inch Slices
Instructions
- To make the tofu feta, slice the tofu into 1/4-inch slices and use a 2-inch ghost cookie cutter to cut out ghost shapes. Place them in a shallow container. Save the scraps to marinate separately as crumbles, or use in another recipe.
- Place the miso, lemon juice, rice vinegar, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and water in a small bowl. Whisk vigorously to dissolve the miso, then pour over the tofu ghosts, making sure they're submerged in the marinade. Cover the container and refrigerate for 6 - 12 hours.
- Meanwhile, to prepare the lentil salad, bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the lentils and bay leaves, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes, until tender. Drain thoroughly, discard the bay leaves, and refrigerate until chilled.
- When cool, transfer the cooked lentil to a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil, scallions, dill, basil, parsley, garlic, balsamic vinegar, Aleppo pepper or paprika, and salt.
- To assemble, toast the bread and spoon chilled lentil salad on top. Finish with a single feta ghost on each slice. Serve and spook!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 316mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
