Monty Python Live (Mostly): Spam party food recipes

It's the end of an era as the Monty Python team bid farewell with their final show live on Gold on Sunday 20 July at 7.30pm. And how should you mark this moment in comedy history? By hosting a Python party of course. And what should you serve? Er, SPAM canapés obviously. Need inspiration? Check out these great recipe ideas...

Smokey SPAM® and Popcorn Goujons

Makes approximately 30 goujons

Ingredients
1 x 340g can of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham - cut into 1/2" square strips/fingers
100g white breadcrumbs made with 1 day old bread
40g salted popcorn
1 rounded teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 large egg - beaten
50g plain flour
Vegetable oil for frying

Method
1. Beat the salted popcorn with breadcrumbs and smoked paprika and place in a medium bowl. Put the flour in a separate shallow bowl and the beaten egg into another bowl.
2. Dip the goujons in the flour completely covering them, then dip in the beaten egg and finally coat in the smokey breadcrumbs.
3. Continue until all the goujons are coated, pressing the breadcrumbs into the SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham.
4. Lay the goujons on a baking tray and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
5. Cover the base of a frying pan with oil and fry the goujons on each side until golden. Do not overfill the pan, best cooked in batches.

Serve with various dips

Choux SPAM® and Cheese Canapés

Makes approximately 30/40 canapés

Pre-heat oven to 220/ Fan 200C Gas 7

Ingredients
200g can or tub of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham - cut into 1/4" cubes
150g Light cream cheese with chives
50g Butter
60g Plain Flour
2 medium eggs - beaten
Pinch of salt
150 ml water

Method
1. In a bowl, mix together the cubes of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham with the cream chives with chives.
2. Put 150ml water, the butter and a pinch of salt into a medium pan and gently heat until the butter melts.
3. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as it is boiling, tip in the flour in one go. Beat quickly to combine.
4. Beat well, over the heat, until the mix turns smooth and glossy and starts to come away from the edge of the pan. Tip the mix into a bowl and allow to cool a little.
5. Give the mixture a quick beat and start adding the eggs a little at a time, using a whisk, wooden spoon or electric beaters. You may not need to add all the egg, stop once the pastry is smooth/ elastic and drops off a spoon.
6. Drop a medium plain nozzle into a large piping bag and scoop pastry into it.
7. Line two baking sheets with non-stick paper and pipe balls (no bigger than a 10 pence piece) on to baking sheets. Use a wetted finger to smooth the tops.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until dark golden and very firm. Transfer to a cooling rack.
9. When cold fill with the spam and cream cheese mixture. Each choux ball can be speared with a cocktail stick to serve.

SPAM® Cake Canapés with Sweetcorn

Makes approximately 30 canapés

Ingredients
1 x 340g can of SPAM® Chopped Pork & Ham - cut into 1/4" cubes
100g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 egg beaten
150 ml milk
1 small tin sweetcorn - drained
4 spring onions finely chopped (use green bits as well)
Vegetable oil for frying
Small cherry tomatoes for garnish - sliced in half
Cocktail sticks

Method
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, egg and milk.
2. Mix in the cubes of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham, drained sweetcorn and chopped spring onions
3. Heat a non- stick pan with 2 tsp oil and cook spoonfuls of the batter until golden. Turn over and cook the other side. Continue this until all mixture is used up
4. Drain on kitchen paper - keep warm to serve straight away otherwise allow to cool, spike a tomato half with a cocktail stick and garnish each SPAM® Cake

SPAM® Bruschetta

Makes approximately 40 Bruschetta

Ingredients
1 X 340g tin of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham - cut into 1/4" slices and then into triangles etc.
4 mini baguettes cut into 1/2" slices - should get 10 slices per baguette
1 x 190g Jar Basil Pesto
1 x 190g Jar Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Black and green olives, also sun dried tomatoes cut in half, chopped parsley to garnish

Method
1. Toast slices of mini baguettes on both sides and allow to get cold
2. Spread half the bruschetta with Basil Pesto and the other half with Sun dried tomato Pesto
3. Place a triangle of SPAM® Chopped Pork and Ham on each bruschetta
4. Garnish with the olives and sun dried tomatoes. Put onto serving plate and sprinkle with chopped parsley

You can find lots more SPAM recipes at www.spam-uk.com

Watch the last-ever Monty Python live show - Monty Python Live (Mostly) on Gold on Sunday 20 July at 7.30pm