Vampire-slaying tomato, basil & marinated feta skewers

Now there’s a post title you didn’t think you’d be seeing on Cooksister any time soon.

Don’t get me wrong – I love vampire lore.  I read Salem’s Lot as a teenager and loved every minute of it.  Interview with the Vampire enthralled me.  Nosferatu is, visually speaking, one of my all-time favourite films – both the 1922 original and the 1979 remake.  And what’s not to love about the gleefully over-the-top gorefest that is From Dusk Till Dawn?  Or the uber-cool Blade?  I could explain to you from an early age that you should never invite a vampire into your house as then you will never be able to keep them out (funny – I know some people like that too…!); that garlic and holy water were good things to keep on hand; that sunlight was a sure-fire way to deter the keenest vampire; and that wooden stakes were essential, but that you had to catch them asleep in their coffins and nail them through the heart.

So it’s quite surprising, I guess, that the whole Buffy the Vampire Slayer thing totally passed me by.  I am dimly aware that this is the show that made Sarah-Michelle Gellar’s name and launched her as the object of a lot of male fantasies, but I can tell you nothing else about the show and I have never even watched an episode.

Really.

So when my dear friend Stephanie invited me to take part in this month’s Blog Party, my heart sank.  The theme she had chosen was Buffy the Vampire Slayer – a Buffy Bash.  Damn.  But Stephanie was very cool about it and said I had loads of leeway to interpret the theme as I wished.  Plus I remember cajoling people to take part in the Harry Potter-themed End of Month Egg on Toast Extravaganza who professed never to have read a book, so I figured it was my karmic destiny to have to do this event. (If you want to join in the fun, you have until 15 May to get your posts to Stephanie!)

I made these snacks in lieu of starters at a braai (BBQ) this weekend and it’s a good thing there were no vampires present because the feta cubes had been marinated in a ton of garlic.  And just in case the garlic didn’t get them, there was always the little wooden skewer to finish them off 🙂  As for what to drink with them – well, clearly there can only be one drink suitable for a vampire-themed event and that’s a Bloody Mary.

TOMATO, BASIL AND MARINATED FETA SKEWERS (makes 12)

Ingredients

12 ripe cherry tomatoes
12 cubes of feta, about 1.5cm
12 fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 toothpicks

Method

If you have bought the feta as a block, cut your 12 cubes – carefully so that the cheese does not crumble.  Place the cubes in a shallow dish. Mix a few tablespoons of olive oil, garlic and thyme together and pour over the cheese cubes.  Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the cubes once or twice for even coating.

When you are ready to serve, rinse the tomatoes and thread onto each skewer: 1 tomato, 1 basil leaf, and 1 cube of feta (again, be careful that the cheese does not crumble and fall apart).  Balance each skewer on its block of cheese and serve with drinks.

Useful for getting rid of annoying vampires you have accidentally invited into your home 🙂