Edible Severed Foot 🦶
This horrifyingly realistic edible severed foot is made with mozzarella, herbed cream cheese and prosciutto, then finished with creepy red onion toenails and a bloody cherry-balsamic stump. It looks absolutely disgusting, but underneath all that gore is a delicious prosciutto-and-cheese appetizer perfect for Halloween.
Ingredients
1 mozzarella and prosciutto roll/log
3 mozzarella string cheese sticks
1 lb cream cheese, softened
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic salt
8 thin slices prosciutto
1 layer red onion
3 Tbsp cherry preserves
1 Tbsp balsamic glaze
3 drops deep red gel food coloring, optional
Crackers, for serving
Instructions
1. Make the foot template
DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FOOT TEMPLATE
Download and print the foot template at 100% / Actual Size. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the template and trace the outline. Flip the parchment over before adding any food so the marker never comes into contact with the ingredients.
2. Build the toes
Using the template as your guide, place 1 whole mozzarella stick over the big toe.
Cut the second mozzarella stick in half lengthwise and use the two pieces for the next two toes.
Cut the third mozzarella stick lengthwise into four pieces. Use two of those pieces for the two smallest toes. Discard or eat the remaining two pieces. Chef's treat!
3. Create the ankle and heel
Cut the mozzarella and prosciutto log approximately 2/3 of the way down. Stand the larger piece upright to create the ankle.
Place the smaller portion between the ankle and mozzarella-stick toes. Arrange and shape the pieces until the overall structure follows the outline of the foot template.
4. Make the herbed cream cheese
In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, dill, chives, parsley and garlic salt. Mix until smooth and spreadable.
5. Sculpt the foot
Completely cover the mozzarella structure with the cream cheese mixture.
Using a small offset spatula or knife, smooth and sculpt the cream cheese to create the shape of the foot. Fill in the spaces between the mozzarella pieces while keeping each individual toe defined.
6. Add the "skin"
Lay thin slices of prosciutto over the entire foot, gently pressing and overlapping the pieces until the cream cheese is completely covered. Wrap the prosciutto around the sides and ankle as well.
Don't make it too perfect. The natural folds, wrinkles and variations in the prosciutto are what make the foot look disturbingly realistic.
7. Make the toenails
Cut small pieces from a layer of red onion into toenail shapes.
Add a tiny dab of cream cheese to the underside of each "nail" and press one onto the end of each toe.
8. Make the "blood"
Mix together the cherry preserves and balsamic glaze. If you want a deeper, bloodier red, stir in a few drops of deep red gel food coloring.
9. Create the severed stump
Generously spoon the cherry-balsamic mixture over the exposed top of the ankle, allowing some of the "blood" to drip naturally down the sides of the prosciutto.
10. Make ahead
Transfer the parchment paper with the finished foot onto a platter. Gently cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
The foot can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
11. Serve
Once thoroughly chilled, the cream cheese will be firm and the foot will be much easier to move.
Use a large spatula underneath the foot to carefully transfer it from the parchment paper onto your presentation platter.
Serve with crackers and extra cherry-balsamic glaze on the side, if desired. Finish the presentation with cobwebs, spiders or your favorite Halloween props.
Chef Genevieve's Tips
Don't make it too perfect! Uneven prosciutto, bruised-looking toenails and messy drips of "blood" are exactly what make this appetizer look horrifyingly realistic.
As you're covering the foot, use the tip of a small knife to tuck the edges of the prosciutto underneath the foot instead of letting them lie flat against the parchment. This gives the foot a cleaner, rounded edge and makes the finished shape look much more realistic.
This horrifyingly realistic edible severed foot is made with mozzarella, herbed cream cheese and prosciutto, then finished with creepy red onion toenails and a bloody cherry-balsamic stump. It looks absolutely disgusting, but underneath all that gore is a delicious prosciutto-and-cheese appetizer perfect for Halloween.
Ingredients
1 mozzarella and prosciutto roll/log
3 mozzarella string cheese sticks
1 lb cream cheese, softened
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic salt
8 thin slices prosciutto
1 layer red onion
3 Tbsp cherry preserves
1 Tbsp balsamic glaze
3 drops deep red gel food coloring, optional
Crackers, for serving
Instructions
1. Make the foot template
DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FOOT TEMPLATE
Download and print the foot template at 100% / Actual Size. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the template and trace the outline. Flip the parchment over before adding any food so the marker never comes into contact with the ingredients.
2. Build the toes
Using the template as your guide, place 1 whole mozzarella stick over the big toe.
Cut the second mozzarella stick in half lengthwise and use the two pieces for the next two toes.
Cut the third mozzarella stick lengthwise into four pieces. Use two of those pieces for the two smallest toes. Discard or eat the remaining two pieces. Chef's treat!
3. Create the ankle and heel
Cut the mozzarella and prosciutto log approximately 2/3 of the way down. Stand the larger piece upright to create the ankle.
Place the smaller portion between the ankle and mozzarella-stick toes. Arrange and shape the pieces until the overall structure follows the outline of the foot template.
4. Make the herbed cream cheese
In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, dill, chives, parsley and garlic salt. Mix until smooth and spreadable.
5. Sculpt the foot
Completely cover the mozzarella structure with the cream cheese mixture.
Using a small offset spatula or knife, smooth and sculpt the cream cheese to create the shape of the foot. Fill in the spaces between the mozzarella pieces while keeping each individual toe defined.
6. Add the "skin"
Lay thin slices of prosciutto over the entire foot, gently pressing and overlapping the pieces until the cream cheese is completely covered. Wrap the prosciutto around the sides and ankle as well.
Don't make it too perfect. The natural folds, wrinkles and variations in the prosciutto are what make the foot look disturbingly realistic.
7. Make the toenails
Cut small pieces from a layer of red onion into toenail shapes.
Add a tiny dab of cream cheese to the underside of each "nail" and press one onto the end of each toe.
8. Make the "blood"
Mix together the cherry preserves and balsamic glaze. If you want a deeper, bloodier red, stir in a few drops of deep red gel food coloring.
9. Create the severed stump
Generously spoon the cherry-balsamic mixture over the exposed top of the ankle, allowing some of the "blood" to drip naturally down the sides of the prosciutto.
10. Make ahead
Transfer the parchment paper with the finished foot onto a platter. Gently cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
The foot can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
11. Serve
Once thoroughly chilled, the cream cheese will be firm and the foot will be much easier to move.
Use a large spatula underneath the foot to carefully transfer it from the parchment paper onto your presentation platter.
Serve with crackers and extra cherry-balsamic glaze on the side, if desired. Finish the presentation with cobwebs, spiders or your favorite Halloween props.
Chef Genevieve's Tips
Don't make it too perfect! Uneven prosciutto, bruised-looking toenails and messy drips of "blood" are exactly what make this appetizer look horrifyingly realistic.
As you're covering the foot, use the tip of a small knife to tuck the edges of the prosciutto underneath the foot instead of letting them lie flat against the parchment. This gives the foot a cleaner, rounded edge and makes the finished shape look much more realistic.