Devils on Horseback

Recipe by: Victoria Blashford-Snell, Brigitte Hafner | from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible

Cookstr

Course: Hors D'oeuvre

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes

Skill Level: Moderate

Cost: Moderate

Photo by:

Everyone enjoys these popular cocktail party treats.

Yield: Makes 16 appetizers

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp mango chutney
1 tsp dry mustard
Pinch of cayenne pepper, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper
16 pitted dried plums (prunes)
8 bacon strips, each cut in half crosswise
4 slices of firm white sandwich bread
Butter for spreading

Special equipment:

Wooden toothpicks

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Mix the chutney, mustard, and cayenne, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Make a small slit in each dried plum and stuff with a little of the chutney mixture. Wrap each with a bacon strip and secure with a toothpick. Place the wrapped dried plums on an oiled baking sheet.

3. Bake for 10–12 minutes, turning them after 5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp.

4. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Remove the crusts, and using a 2 in (5cm) cookie cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Butter the toast rounds and top each one with a bacon-wrapped plum. Sprinkle each with a little cayenne pepper and serve warm.

Variation

Angels on Horseback

Replace the prunes with 16 shucked oysters, and leave out the chutney. Lightly season the oysters with black pepper, then wrap a strip of bacon around each, securing it with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 5–7 minutes, taking care not to overcook the oysters. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and serve hot.