Summer is the season of entertainment snacks. At House & Garden SA, we are all about creating the most delicious snacks that are small on effort, but big on flavour. We are also lucky in South Africa that some of the most delicious and versatile ingredients are in season during our summer months, making this the perfect time to lean on seasonal produce when concocting snacks for home entertaining.
To take your home entertaining a step further, we recommend taking the plunge and making your own potato crisps from scratch. Homemade crisps for example, is a simple way to wow your guests with new flavours and simple flavours. Creamy avocado dip topped with nutty asparagous are perfectly carried by your homemade crisps.
Here’s how to make homemade potato crisps with avocado dip and asparagus:
For the avocado dip: (serves 4 as a snack)
• 1 x large ripe avocado
• 40 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) chives, finely chopped
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) mint leaves, finely chopped
• pinch of salt
Peel the avocado and remove the core, then place in a medium size bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado until chunky. Add the lemon juice, herbs and season with salt. Mix well, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the asparagus:
• 1 x small bunch green asparagus (thin spears work best)
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 10 ml apple cider vinegar
• 5 ml wholegrain mustard
• pinch of salt
Remove the woody ends of the asparagus, rinse and drain. Bring some salted water to a boil, then add asparagus and blanch for 1 minute. Transfer spears to ice cold water, then remove after a few minutes. Drain, pat dry, and chop into chunks.
For the dressing: place the oil, vinegar, mustard and salt in a small jar and shake vigorously. Pour over the chopped asparagus, and toss to coat all over. Set aside.
For the potato crisps:
• about 2 large (or 3-4 medium size) potatoes
• canola oil for deep frying
• salt flakes to taste
Using a mandolin slicer, finely slice the potatoes into very thin slivers. Keep the slices covered in water while you heat the oil to 180 °C. Gently drop the slices into the oil one at a time, in batches. Fry until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels and season with salt flakes while still hot.
To serve: Arrange potato discs on a wooden board or platter, top with a dollop of avocado dip. Top the avo dip with some of the dressed asparagus. Serve at once (the potato crisps will soften on standing).
