Small-plates recipes

Call them downsized entrees, appetizers or tapas—small plates are not going out of style anytime soon. That was evident at the recent chefs’ Culinary Competition held during Winsight’s 2017 MenuDirections conference in Charlotte: The winning entry was a globally inspired small plate with big flavors. Click through for that recipe and four other on-trend small plates to add to your menu. 

Four teams competed in the Culinary Competition held at MenuDirections 2017. Executive Chef Adam Smith of North Carolina State University and Executive Chef David Leach of University of Wisconsin at Stout prepared the winning recipe—a small plate featuring glazed pork tenderloin, a three-bean ragout, sauteed spinach and grilled tomatoes. Choosing from a market basket of required ingredients and an assortment of extras, the winning chefs composed a dish with complementary flavors, colors and textures that could easily be menued in several noncommercial segments as well as catered events.

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Sweet and spicy meet in the mix of mangoes, kiwi, cherries, chilies, curry and raisins, creating a chunky Latin-accented salsa. Gently seared tuna is fanned over the top.

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For this appetizer salad, Michael Watz, chef-instructor at Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago, chooses seedless red grapes for their compatible shape, size and balance of sweetness and acidity. The contrast in colors and flavors makes for an appealing seafood starter or small plate to mix and match.

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As plant-based menus continue to gain popularity among operators and consumers, vegetable-focused small plates will grow in demand. Here, baby artichokes, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes combine for a bright and flavorful dish that makes the most of spring produce.

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Aji Amarillo is a vibrant orange chili pepper popular in Peruvian cuisine. Here, Border Grill’s chef-partners, also known as the celebrated “Two Hot Tamales,” flavor aioli with a paste made of the chilies to serve alongside quinoa fritters. Quinoa is also dominant in South American cooking, as it’s grown in the Andes.

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