J O I N T H E S M A L L P L A T E S R E V O L U T I O N

S mall Plates from Around the World is more than a cookbook: it’s a lifestyle.

Internationally-renowned Chef Marisol Murano brings you a delicious world of small plates from her work as a destination chef.

These deliciously doable recipes are infused with Chef Marisol’s love of food and sense of adventure. You will find traditional recipes as well as new favorites you will want to make again and again.

You may watch videos, listen to world music and get additional recipes at www.MarisolChef.com and on Facebook at Marisol Murano.

Easy to make recipes that are good for you and great to share with family and friends: this is your recipe for the small plates lifestyle. Enjoy.

Rob Simon, Publisher

A Hipso Media eBook Copyright © 2012 Hipso Media, all rights reservedISBN 978-0-9840556-6-1HipsoMedia.com Bringing food to market in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Skinny On Small Plates Meat and PoultrySeafoodThe Crostini BarWorld’s Best SlidersVegetablesDrinksSaladsMojos, Sauces and VinaigrettesThe Small Plates PantrySources

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C O N T E N T S

T H E S K I N N YO N S M A L L P L A T E S

I work at sea. As a Destination Chef I’ve cooked my way from Balito Barcelona, discovering between ship and shore that there’s a way to say small plate in every major world cuisine — antipasti in Italy, kobachi in Japan, mezze in the Mediterranean basin, tapas in Spain, hors d’oeuvres in France. The origin of tapas is much debated. Legend has it that the firsttapa was a piece of jamón serrano draped over a glass of sherry for the purpose of tapar, or to cover the glass to keep the flies away. Some-where along the way the tavern owners of Andalucía, Spain, realizedthat if people had something to nibble on they would drink moresherry, so they added a few almonds here, a wedge of cheese there,and a tradition was born. So what’s cooking around the world? I’ve been as far as the SouthPole, where there was nothing but ice, and to bustling Istanbul wherea suitcase wouldn’t have been enough to bring back spices from theGrand Bazaar. I bring these recipes to you like souvenirs, for you to cherish andto share. Some of them are classics which perhaps you’ve always

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wanted to make, like GAMBAS AL AJILLO. Others, like theSATAY CHICKEN WITH HONEYLUSCIOUS PEANUT BUTTERSAUCE, are twists on traditional cuisine. What all these recipeshave in common, though, is how deliciously doable they are — there’s nothing in this book that is so complicated that you can’t make it in your own kitchen at home.

Pour a glass of MY FAVORITE SANGRIA and call up some friends. Bring out a bowl of warm olives and savor the Mediterranean. For a twist on a Lebanese classic, make the PEARL COUSCOUS TABBOULEH — it’s fresh, festive, and vegan at heart. And for a spicy week night adventure, why not rub the same old chicken with some fragrant r? Few things have the power to transport as great food can.

I hope you enjoy this great culinary adventure.

Chef Marisol

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How Small Is Small?

A tapa in Seville is six olives on a saucer.

A small plate in Volos, Greece, might involve relatives and neighbors.

At a restaurant in Portofino the antipasto of the day is grilled octopus, “justa for you, signorina.”

And in lively Istanbul a little mezze can turn into a feast.

Most recipes in this book are for 4-6 servings. But feel free to adapt them to the occasion, the mood, and the appetite.

M E A T A N D P O U L T R Y

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Serrano y Manchego a la Barcelona Madagascar Peppercorn Tournedos Marrakesh Kebabs with Harissa My Favorite Greek PlatterSouvlakia – Grilled Lamb Skewers • Tangy Tzatziki •Olive Bowl • Baby Heirloom Bowl • Cucumber Tomato Bowl Creamy Hummus with Pita Minis

Mini Lamb Chops with Oporto Cherry Sauce Chicken a la Cubana Satay Chicken with Honeyluscious Peanut Butter Sauce Andalusian Lomito Adobado with Rum Mango Glaze

M E A T & P O U L T R Y

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S e r r a n o y M a n c h e g o a l a B a r c e l o n a

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S e r r a n o y M a n c h e g o a l a B a r c e l o n a

Cosas de PicarWhenever we dock in Barcelona, the first thing I do is head to El Mercado de la Boquería in La Rambla. The bustling market is a food-lovers paradise, a place where no craving will go unrewarded. Oh, the chorizo, oh, the jamón serrano, oh, the manchego and the almonds, and oh, a bottle of a fantastic, no-name Spanish wine — all for a great price. After a long day in the kitchen there’s nothing better than a glass of vino tinto and a few small bites for the chef.

The term cosas de picar means small bites in Spanish — literally, things you can pick up with your fingers. The star of this popular tapa is the jamón serrano, the prosciutto of Spain. The Spaniards eat two times as much cured ham as the Italians. You’re bound to find at least two kinds of cured ham at any taverna in Spain — jamón serrano (mountain ham) and jamón Ibérico (from Iberian pigs raised in the forests of Extremadura). Both have a gamier, deeper flavor than prosciutto.

There was a time when jamón serrano could only be enjoyed by Spanish kings. These days anyone can find it online; it’s even sold pre-sliced.

This platter is delicious, visually impressive and so easy to assemble that all you really need to do is pour the vino and call some friends. El Mercado de la Boquería in Barcelona.

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S e r r a n o y M a n c h e g o a l a B a r c e l o n a

Ingredients8 slices of jamón serrano 8 slices aged manchego cheese1 cup marcona almonds Arrange everything on a decorative wooden board. Enjoy with a Spanish red wine or a glass of MY FAVORITE SANGRIA.

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Curing jamón.

M a d a g a s c a r P e p p e r c o r n To u r n e d o s

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M a d a g a s c a r P e p p e r c o r n To u r n e d o s

MadagascarTwo things will always stay with me about the island of Madagascar: the smell of vanilla wafting in the air (as if someone were baking a giant cake), and the baobab trees, whose mystical shape, gargantuan width and pendulous white flowers made me think we had washed ashore somewhere prehistoric. This wasn’t such an outlandish thought — the island formed about 80 million years ago after separating from the Indian sub-continent.

If the island heat should make you thirsty you can always bore a hole in the trunk of the fleshy baobab tree and squeeze out water out of its fibers the way elephants once did. All giant species aside, Madagascar is best known for its tiny peppercorns, particularly the green ones.

Do you remember those long-stemmed vines that Tarzan used to jump from tree to tree? Those are lianas — climbing plants rooted in the soil which use trees to climb up to the better-lit areas of a forest. The pepper plant is a liana. Peppercorns are the fruit of the pepper plant. What makes this all so interesting is that the same plant can produce three kinds of peppercorns. The green ones are the youngest. Black peppercorns are the whole dried berries of the plant which have been dried with their pulp. White peppercorns are black pepper-corns which have had their pulp removed.

Unlike black peppercorns, green peppercorns are always sold whole. The reason they are placed in brine immediately after picking is to preserve their

Baobab trees in Madagascar.

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M a d a g a s c a r P e p p e r c o r n To u r n e d o s

softness. The best-known use of green peppercorns is in the preparation of the French classic: Steak au Poivre, or peppercorn steak. This isn’t that surprising when you consider that Madagascar was a French colony from 1896 until 1960. To put it in more musical terms, Madagascar, the Republic, is almost the same age as The Beatles.

Give this sumptuous sauce a try so you can see how a few little green berries drunk on cognac can bring all conversation around the table to a halt.

For the tournedos4 tournedos (medallions cut from small end of the tenderloin, about 5 oz. each) 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the peppercorn sauce1 shallot, minced 2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 cup beef broth, reduced for 10 minutes over medium heat1 teaspoon Dijon mustard¼ cup cognac (use brandy as a substitute)4 tablespoons whole green peppercorns, drained¾ cup heavy creamSalt to tasteMâche leaves, for garnish

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M a d a g a s c a r P e p p e r c o r n To u r n e d o s

Directions1. Season tournedos with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

2. To cook the tournedos, sauté 2 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook tournedos 4 minutes per side for medium, being careful not to burn the butter. If butter begins to brown, lower the heat. Transfer tournedos to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let tournedos rest while you make the peppercorn sauce.

3. To make the green peppercorn sauce, sauté minced shallot in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the reduced beef broth and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in cognac and 4 tablespoons of green peppercorns and cook until alcohol is burned off, about 4 minutes. Add heavy cream and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat.

4. Divide tournedos among four small plates. Spoon some green peppercorn sauce over each. Garnish with mâche leaves.

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M a r r a k e s h K e b a b s w i t h H a r i s s a

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M a r r a k e s h K e b a b s w i t h H a r i s s a

KebabsGo to India. Go to Bali. Go to Greece. Go to Morocco. You’ll be innocently walking down a quaint street and all of a sudden you will be derailed by the scent of charcoal on fire and you will forget your own name. The only place in the world where I didn’t see meat on a skewer was in Antarctica.

From Japanese yakitori, to Indian tikka, to Greek souvlakia, people the world over love grilled meat on a skewer. In Spanish we call them pinchos – a pincho being a pointed stick.

These succulent kebabs always bring memories of the bustling square of Djemma el Fna — Marrakesh’s version of an outdoor mall, where food stall masters deftly skewer and grill alongside acrobats and snake charmers.

As for the harissa, this hot chica from Tunisia is one of the tastiest discoveries I’ve made. In this variation of the fiery paste I use piquillo peppers from Spain to balance the heat with a touch of sweetness.

Walking around in Marrakesh.

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M a r r a k e s h K e b a b s w i t h H a r i s s a

For the harissa6 piquillo peppers, drained12 dried bird eye chiles, crushed (use dried red chiles as a substitute)1 teaspoon dried mint leaves1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin¼ teaspoon salt8 garlic cloves, chopped¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the kebabs1 lb. boneless lamb, cut into one-inch cubes (use lamb from the leg, or loin)2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon each: dried oregano, black pepper, ground cumin2 tablespoons parsley, chopped2 tablespoons olive oil4 (7-inch) skewers, soaked in water for at least one hourSalt and freshly ground black pepper

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Djemma el Fna market in Marrakesh.

To watch a video on how to make harissa, please go to www.MarisolChef.com/Videos.

M a r r a k e s h K e b a b s w i t h H a r i s s a

Directions1. To make the harissa, place all ingredients (except the olive oil) in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to obtain a rough paste. With the motor running, slowly incorporate the olive oil until the paste looks like a vermilion color pesto. Transfer harissa to a sterilized container and cover with ¼ inch of olive oil. It will keep, refrigerated, for up to a month.

2. To make the kebabs, place lamb cubes in a glass bowl. Add the minced garlic, spices, chopped parsley, and olive oil and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

3. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread lamb cubes onto soaked skewers and set on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Season kebabs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill kebabs for 5-6 minutes, turning often to keep them from burning.

To serve, place one tablespoon of harissa and one kebab on each of four small plates. Serve alongside the PEARL COUSCOUS TABBOULEH.

Or, you can always go Moroccan and do the following:

• Grab a piece of warm pita bread in your hand• Slide the meat from the skewer into the center of the pita • Drizzle with a little harissa, fold up the sides of the bread,

and imagine you’re under a date palm in balmy Marrakesh.

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M y F a v o r i t e G r e e k P l a t t e r

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