5 Tasty Ways to Turn Foods Black for Halloween
By Louise Hart
When you think of Halloween, you might think of mysterious black (and harvest orange). But while nature provides plenty of orange-colored foods for the festivities, ebony foods are a little more unusual. (Other than the black burgers at Japanese locations of McDonald’s and Burger King, of course.) So how do you transform innocent everyday foods into deliciously deadly dark treats?
Before you resort to a diet of black beans, black sesame seeds, and black licorice candies, we have several ways to make food dark as night, Halloween-friendly, and delicious!
Tapenade: Usually made from crushed black olives, this chunky dark sauce can be served on its own (as a dip for crackers or pita chips) and can add a hint of darkness to other dishes. Try tapenade spread on sandwiches, over a roast (Janet McCracken’s Rib Roast with Tapenade) or steak (Grilled Flatiron Steaks with Tomatoes and Tapenade).
Use it to top salads, over a pizza instead of sauce (Pizza with Fontina, Potatoes, and Tapenade), stuffed in burgers (Tapenade-Filled Burgers), tossed with pasta (Bucatini with Olives, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Basil),
You can also rub tapenade under the skin of roast chicken, or use it to garnish fish (Mahi Mahi Skewers with Tapenade and Couscous or Sea Bass with Sun-Dried Tomato and Black Olive Tapenade).
Vegetable Ash: Just because you retired the grill for the season, that doesn’t mean you need to say goodbye to that fresh-from-the-fire flavor. You’ve probably already eaten vegetable ash in cheeses, such as Morbier or Humboldt Fog goat cheese. Now, it’s popping up on menus as chefs add vegetable ash into everything from yogurt to Wagyu beef for its complex flavor.
Try incorporating vegetable ash in your own dishes, by coating meats with it or sprinkling it on white dishes so that the black pops (such as in our recipe for Cauliflower with Leek Ash).
Squid or Cuttlefish Ink: More than just a coloring agent, squid (or cuttlefish) ink is rich in antioxidants, iron, and umami. It has a distinct, briny flavor that pairs well with seafood. Either ask your fish provider to reserve the ink sacs when he cleans the squid for you, or purchase squid ink in jars and individual packets.
Squid ink is perfect in pasta (like in our Homemade Squid Ink Pasta, Black and Orange Halloween Pasta, or Black Linguine with Orange and Red Peppers), other carb dishes like risotto or rice which absorb the ink well (see: Black Rice with Squid), or even in sauces or vinaigrettes (try our Wild Striped Bass with Charred Leeks and Squid Vinaigrette). (We guarantee the Black Rice with Squid (above) will either disgust or horrify children.)
Coffee: Coffee’s roasted quality, bitterness, and acidity enhance a variety of ingredients—especially anything sweet, bold, earthy or nutty. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate—think Mocha Mousse with Sichuan Peppercorns or Cappuccino-Fudge Cheesecake. Coffee complements the earthy flavor of meat, so try it as a rub (Turkish Coffee-Rubbed Brisket), sauce (Short Ribs Braised in Coffee Ancho Chile Sauce), or marinade (Coffee-Marinated Bison Short Ribs).
Dark Cocoa Powder: Natural, unsweetened cocoa powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods. These desserts aremuch better than any Halloween candy: Cocoa Layer Cake, Crisp Cocoa-Pecan Cookies, and Cocoa Brownies. Cocoa can also be used like coffee in savory dishes, such as in our Ancho and Cocoa Carne Asada.
photo: Ditte Isager
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