Once upon a time, a gastropub meant somewhere you could get a pickled egg to go with your packet of crisps – these days, it’s all you can do to get a drink to go with your artisan cheese and homemade pickle on sourdough. Bar snacks have come up in the world in recent years too. Classics such as pork scratchings, potato crisps and nuts are increasingly likely to be made in-house – and there’s no reason you can’t do the same. For best results, pair with a pint of ale.
Sweet and salty almonds
Add a pinch of chilli or smoked paprika if you’d like them to have a bit of a kick. Serves 6
You will need:
40g light brown sugar
1/4 tsp fine salt
150g skin-on almonds
1 Heat the oven to 180C. Mix the sugar and salt in a large bowl with 2 tsp cold water, then add the nuts and toss to coat.
2 Spread the nuts out on a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until dry, then cool before removing from the paper.
Pork scratchings
Any butcher should be able to get you pork skin – ask them to scrape off as much fat as possible. Serves 6
You will need:
200g pork skin
Salt, to sprinkle
Oil, to brush
1 Pat the skin dry with kitchen paper and leave, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
2 Pat dry again and lightly salt. Leave for 20 minutes.
3 Heat the oven to 180C. Put the skin in a rimmed baking dish, brush with a little oil and bake for 30-40 minutes until puffy and crisp.
4 When cool, snap into shards.
Lime and chilli crisps
These are inspired by the salty, sour, spicy flavours of Mexico, though feel free to season them with whatever you fancy. Serves 6
You will need:
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1 lime, zest only
450g floury potatoes
1 tbsp vinegar
Oil, to fry
1 Heat the oven to 180C. Spread the salt and chilli on a baking sheet along with the zest of the lime. Bake for 5 minutes, cool and grind to a fine powder.
2 Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible (preferably with a mandolin) and rinse with cold water. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the vinegar and potatoes, cook for 4 minutes, then drain and dry on kitchen towels.
3 Heat a large pan a third full of oil to 170C. Fry the potatoes in 3 batches, stirring regularly, until golden (about 15 minutes). Drain on kitchen paper and season immediately.
