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Smoked Trout Pate Spider Bites: An easy but elegant smoked fish pate, topped with spiders…uh…olives. Definitely creepy but delicious. Pair with Spider Blood – aka Merlot or Red Moscato for a memorable Halloween party appetizer.
The creepier the better when it comes to Halloween, right? It’s the one night of the year we get to indulge all those fears of the dark, explore our ghoulish depths, and wallow in the macabre.
For Halloween and especially Halloween parties, the hairs on the back of your neck should stand up. You should shiver, more than once.
That includes food.
- Toast sticks for breakfast become tombstones.
- Cookies, shaped just right, become the disgusting but delicious Witches Digits.
- Green Alien Guts might just appear in the bowl for lunch.
- Monster Marshmallows might do the monster mash after dinner.
- Followed by a plate of Dirty Q-Tips.
- And simple guacamole? Why, it’s Gory Green Monster Eyeball Dip, of course.
Ewwwww.
This year, I’m going after the arachnophobes. Those who fear spiders are going to squeal when I walk in to the party with my Spider Bites. Go ahead, wrap your lips around that Black Widow. You had better close your eyes first!
I’ll offer sips of Spider Blood to wash it down. Spider Blood, for those who don’t know, is better known as red wine. For this party, I’m suggesting Merlot (for those who prefer a drier wine), and Red Moscato (for those who like a fruitier wine). Or mix them together for a half-and-half!
What should you wear as your costume? Black, or course. And a spider fascinator. I got mine online so many years ago. (I’ll bet you could make one out of feathers and beads, if you are crafty. Or a craft-store spider that you attach to a headband.)
Prepare yourself to be the most popular dark culinary queen at the party.
Check out my smoked trout — half price that day! Score!
I wasn’t sure what size olives would make the best spiders, so I got 3 sizes. Turned out extra large for the body and medium for the legs. If you only want one can, get medium.
An easy but elegant smoked fish pate, topped with spiders...uh...olives. Definitely creepy but delicious. Pair with Spider Blood – aka Gallo Family Merlot or Red Moscato.
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) container cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 10 grinds black pepper (to taste)
- 1 Meyer lemon (we will use zest and some juice)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 small lobe shallot, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 4-6 ounces smoked trout fillets
- Baguette slices or crackers
- 1 can medium-size Ripe Pitted Black Olives (or Pitted Kalamata Olives if you prefer a stronger flavor)
Directions
- In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese, paprika and pepper. Zest the lemon and add the zest, along with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and chives. Mix until combined.
- Using your clean hands, remove skin from trout (it should peel right off) and flake it into little chunks into the bowl. If you see any tiny pin bones, discard them, but you don’t have to get crazy about looking for them. Gently mix everything together. Taste and add a squirt more lemon juice or more pepper if you like. (Remember, the olives are salty and will add salt to the finished product, so don’t be tempted to add salt to this mixture.)
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, spread pate over bread or crackers, and top with Spiders.
- To make olive spiders: you will need 1 whole pitted black olive per egg. Cut the olive in half lengthwise. Place half on the egg as the spider body. Cut the remaining half into 2 vertical pieces. Cut each piece into 4 vertical slices, so you will have 8 legs. (Spiders have 8 legs. If you cut each piece into 3 pieces instead of 4, you will have a 6-legged insect, but it won’t be an arachnid. So cut 8 legs!) Poke legs into the pate near the body to adhere them. You don’t want any legs falling off.)
- Enjoy your Spider Bites with a nice glass of wine, and savor the spine-tingling moment.
- Makes 12-16, depending on size. (Possibly more if your crackers are small.)
Notes
Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious, with a hat tip to Kathy Hunt for inspiration!
Note on olives: Buy pitted olives, because if you try to pit them yourself, you will mangle the olive, and for this recipe, you need pretty darn nice looking olives.
Today’s Sunday Supper recipes
This week our #SundaySupper blogger crew is celebrating Frightfully Fun Entertaining, sponsored by Gallo Family Vineyards.
Check out our collection of 20 recipes we have lined up for you today from the Sunday Supper cooks, and our wine 
suggestions for each of them. I recommend you try my delicious Spider Bites with some Spider Blood.
Gallo Family Vineyards Merlot makes a velvety, dark red, full-bodied blood, hinting of black cherry, ripe plum and a whiff of oak. Red Moscato is a brighter colored blood, lively with sweet citrus and peach flavors and a hint of red berry.
If you don’t want Spider Bites, choose something else from the menu below that makes you shiver.
- Beef Stew with Ghost Dumplings by Momma’s Meals
- Blackened Chicken Legs with Red Beets and Potatoes by Jelly Toast
- Brain Cupcakes with Red Moscato Wine Shooters by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Dracula Wine Jelly by Basic N Delicious
- Gallo Family Red Moscato Cocktail by Flour On My Face
- Ghoulishly Good Red Moscato Punch by The Weekend Gourmet
- Halloween Buffalo Ranch Pork Bites by Family Foodie
- Meringue Bones with Raspberry Sauce by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Mummy Calzone by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Poison Apple Pomegranate Sangria by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Pumpkin Chili by The Foodie Army Wife
- Red Moscato Candied Apples by The Messy Baker
- Red Moscato Spider Sangria by Run DMT
- Red Velvet Cake Eye Balls by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Red Wine Caramel and Chocolate Apples by Ruffles & Truffles
- Roasted Garlic Hummus by Alida’s Kitchen
- Smoked Trout Pate Spider Bites by Shockingly Delicious
- Steak Bites with Bloody Maria Dipping Sauce by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Witches Blood Risotto by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Zombie Bite Wine Slushies by Feed Me, Seymour
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
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Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
{ 36 comments… read them below or add one }
What a fun appetizer!
Thanks Lori! You can leave off the spiders if you want to serve it at other times of the year, obviously. 🙂
How cute! I made pizzas with olive spiders last year, people love this stuff!
Fabiola,
Spiders just make everything more fun, don’t they?
These are so deliciously creepy. I just love them! I tried to do some creepy olive spiders on a pizza, but I think you’re a way better “olive artist” than I am, because mine were just so-so. Also, I totally dig the spider fascinator 🙂
Lori,
A little knife work, tra la!
I am with you – the creepier the better when it comes to Halloween food! The spiders on top of your appetizer bites are so fun!
Katie,
Thanks! They can be daunting for some people.
Spiders definitely creep me out…but love the presentation for these crostini!!!
Wendy,
Thank you! It’s fun to play with food, eh?
Love your post Dorothy. Those olive spiders are awesome. I’ve never had smoked trout but these little appetizers makes me want to try it right now.
Thank you Flour!
I love smoked fish, especially trout! These bites sound delicious! BTW nice hat!
Cindy,
Thanks! You could totally rock the spider fascinator!
Your tricks on how to celebrate Halloween are welcome treats! Is your house all dressed up for the season, too? If so, bet it’s the best on the block!
Ninja,
I have 4 pumpkins out front. Does that count?
Awww how cute these spiders are…. I’ve never tried smoked trout, but this sounds so amazing.
Linda,
Put it on your shopping list! It will be where the store carries smoked salmon.
I’ve never tried smoked trout, but now I think I need to!
Emily,
You DO! If you like tuna and you like smoked salmon, you will adore smoked trout!
You came after me on this one… I’m a total arachnophobe… But I’m not letting spiders keep me away from this deliciousness, I’ll just close my eyes 😉
Shaina,
I am challenging YOU!
I have never tried smoked trout. I need to change that ASAP. Love these spooky bites.
Jennie,
If you liked smoked salmon and/or tuna, you will like it!
Those olive spiders would totally freak me out!
Brianne,
It IS a teensy bit daunting when you go to eat the first one!
I am terrified of spiders, but am willing to face that fear if it means I get to have a few of these tasty treats!
Bobbi,
Confront your arachnophobia, because these are GOOOOD!
Smoked trout is one of my favorite kind of pates! Now I need to add these perfect spiders! LOVE the hat!!
Susan/Wimpy,
I adore the hat, too!
I love, love smoked fish…and could do major damage to a platter or your canapes!
Liz,
My son and I did some serious damage to these. We could not stop!
These are awesome. I love the way the spiders look on them. I also really like your spider hat!
Thanks Heather! That spider hat thing is my most favorite Halloween item EVER!
Man, spiders really terrify me! But this looks so yummy so it’s totally ok!
Kim,
My son shares your disgust of spiders. Maybe that’s why I like to do them for Halloween…to challenge him to conquer it. Who knows?
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