Entertaining with small plates gets big

Small plates are transforming the way we eat. Across the country, from restaurants to homes, exciting menus of diverse small plates are being served instead of old-school one plate entrees.

Perfect for parties where conversation is key, small plates make the usual cocktail party into something festive and a delightful treat of many tastes. More than appetizers but less than a full-on buffet, small plate food is the sizzling hot new food trend you can try without busting the budget.

Think tapas, American style — Burgers go mini to become stylish sliders. Salad wedges and shots of soup transform favorite fall classics into snazzy utensil-free finger foods. Add an exotic touch with mini-quesadillas, shrimp skewers or lamb lollipops.

Add panache on the beverage side by pairing your small plates with premium wine. An exciting new trend that presents major bang for not a lot of bank: new premium cask wines. More earth-friendly and wallet-friendly than bottled wines, the quality of wine casks, also called bag-in box (BIBs) has sky-rocketed over the last few years.

Premium cask wines are a convenient, no-waste way to pair each small plate with a flavorful wine. Each three liter cask contains 20 glasses of wine. And post-party, you can enjoy any remaining cask wine for at least six weeks more because it’s protected from harmful oxygen that destroys wine left in a bottle. No need to think about waste — you can host another party without the need for additional wine, or you and your significant other can each enjoy a glass of fresh wine a day.

Serving Wine with Small Plate Menus

• The beauty of small plate menus is that the variety of flavors provides an opportunity to pair one meal with several wines.

• Pick your favorite wine and serve it with every dish. Or select a few wines, set them all out at once, and let each person decide what he or she likes best.

• Don’t be bashful about offering a different wine with each small plate. With three-liter cask wines, you can pair each dish with the perfect wine and not worry about pouring leftover wine down the drain.

How to Serve Premium Cask Wines

Eat and drink what you like. Experiment with your preferences. You never know what great matches you’ll discover.

• One three-liter premium cask equals four bottles or 20 five-ounce glasses.

• Plan for one to two glasses of wine per person, per event.

• If possible, offer a different glass for each varietal (whites and reds).

• Serve white wine cool but not cold for the best flavor.

• Serve red wine slightly cooler than room temperature.

• For white wines, leave the cask in the refrigerator overnight. Remove an hour before the party to ensure the proper temperature.

• If you would prefer to use a decanter for ease of pouring reds, decant a premium cask red wine 30 minutes before serving to bring it to room temperature.

• If not all the wine is consumed, enjoy the cask wine for at least six weeks.

For more information about wallet-friendly premium cask wines, visit www.betterwinesbetterworld.com.

Sizzling Mini-Sliders

Serves 4

Time: 30 minutes

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup cabernet

1  1/2 pounds ground chuck

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

12 3-inch dinner rolls

Condiments

Caramelized onions (sauté

in olive oil, very slowly,

about 20 minutes)

1/2 cup loosely packed

watercress

1/2 cup thinly shredded

radicchio

In medium bowl, combine onion powder, garlic, wine, beef, salt and pepper. Shape into twelve 1/2 -inch-thick patties. Grill until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill dinner rolls until slightly toasted. On bottom of each roll, place caramelized onions, patty, watercress and radicchio. Top with roll top.

Per slider: calories 687, calories from fat 243, fat 27 g, saturated fat 9 g, cholesterol 100 mg, sodium 1,345 mg, carbohydrate 63 g, dietary fiber 7 g, protein 41 g

Pairing Suggestion: Cabernet Sauvignon

Mint Pesto Lamb Lollipops

Serves 6

Time: less than 30 minutes

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup minced fresh mint

2 tablespoons ground

pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons grated

Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup Pinot Noir

12 small lamb chops or

lamb riblets, Frenched

and trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine first six ingredients in food processor until a paste forms. Set aside. Combine olive oil and wine, brush chops with mixture and season with salt and pepper. Grill chops for 2 minutes per side. Arrange on a platter and serve with mint pesto.

Per serving: calories 426, calories from fat 315, fat 35 g, saturated fat 13 g, cholesterol 92 mg, sodium 180 mg, carbohydrate 1 g, dietary fiber 0 g, protein 21 g

Pairing Suggestion: Pinot Noir

Grilled Shrimp and Chicken Kebabs

Serves 6

Time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour marinade)

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

2/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup Chardonnay

Salt and pepper to taste

24 large shrimp unpeeled and deveined

12 chicken tenders

12 wooden skewers

(6 or 12-inch skewers)

Salsa (optional)

Whisk garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, olive oil, wine, salt and pepper together; divide into two bowls and marinate shrimp and chicken separately for 1 hour. Thread 2 to 4 shrimp per skewer and 1 to 2 tenders per skewer. Grill chicken about 4 minutes per side and shrimp about 2 to 3 minutes per side until pink. Remove kebabs from grill and serve with salsa of your choice.

Per skewer: calories 119, calories from fat 81, fat 9 g, saturated fat 1 g, cholesterol 93 mg, sodium 145 mg, carbohydrate 0 g, dietary fiber 0 g, protein 5 g

Pairing Suggestion: Merlot or Chardonnay

All materials courtesy of: Pinot Evil Wines