The Small Town Chef

  A Flavor-Packed Italian Tapas Adventure! Welcome! Today we’re sharing one of our favorite summertime tapas, “Bistecche al Balsamico con Peperonata” – a fancy name for Balsamic Tenderloins with Peperonata that’s sure to make your taste buds go yum. This dish came about when we were preparing a whole beef tenderloin for filet mignons. If you’ve ever worked with a whole tenderloin, you’ll know it tapers from top to bottom in size. Using the thinner, or tail portions, of the tenderloin provides the perfect sized medallions for this dish. Since it’s summer right now, and most of our meals are small, quick, and easy, we were looking for the perfect combination of grilled beef and summer vegetables, and voilà, beef tenderloin, balsamic glaze. and peperonata came to mind.   Peperonata is an Italian classic, hailing from southern Italy. It’s a delicious combination of red bell peppers (sometimes orange and yellow peppers also), onions, and tomatoes, cooked down until sweet and savory...

A Refreshing Summer Delight Perfect for Scorching Days With scorching summer days upon us, we all crave something light, refreshing, and full of flavor. Today, we've got a tasty Mexican-inspired shrimp tapas recipe that's perfect for a light dinner or fancy appetizer. While certainly not a traditional Spanish tapas, the combination of succulent shrimp and a zesty, vibrant sauce will make your taste buds dance. It’s the perfect heat-wave escape! Recipe: Mexican Shrimp Tapas (serves 4)   Ingredients: For the shrimp- 1 lb raw shrimp, tail-on and deveined Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning Ice water bath     For the sauce- 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and rough chopped ½ cup ketchup 2 tbsp avocado oil Juice of 1 lime Juice of ½ lemon ½ tsp ground cumin Salt to taste 1 pint grape tomatoes, finely diced (or 3-4 plum tomatoes, flesh only, finely diced) 6 grape tomatoes, halved (or 1 plum tomato, roughly chopped) ½ cucumber, finely diced ¼ cup f...

Exploring Albondigas: A Delicious Spanish Tapas Ah, the classic meatball. Every culture, every family has their own version, and rightly so. When you hit that magic combo of ground meat, spices, herbs, and a few, sometimes closely guarded ingredients, you've got something truly special! Today, we're off to the Mediterranean for our inspiration. One of our absolute favorite tapas is the Spanish gem called albondigas. This mouthwatering mix of ground beef and pork is totally worth the effort. Let's roll (pun intended) some meatballs! Recipe: Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas) Makes about 40 Meatballs Ingredients Meatballs 1 lb ground beef
 ½ lb ground pork (we use sweet Italian saugage on occasion) Roasted Garlic - one, whole head 2 eggs ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted
 2 Tbsp half and half
 2 tsp sweet paprika
 ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp coriander 1 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp pepper
 ¼ cup fat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
 All-purpose flour, for dusting the meatballs Tomato Sauce 5 Tbsp oli...

Chicken Pintxos – meet your new favorite bite! When it comes to Spanish cuisine, pintxos (or pinchos) are small snacks that capture Spain's essence. Originating from the Basque region, these skewered bites of deliciousness are known for bold flavors and simple presentation. Today, we’re excited to share our mouthwatering Chicken Pintxo recipe that’s sure to be a hit at your next tapas party. Marinade Magic The secret to these delicious chicken pintxos lies in the marinade. Consisting of a  blend of spices, herbs, and a touch of citrus, this marinade infuses the chicken with layers of flavor, ensuring every bite is incredible. Here’s how you can create this marinade at home. Ingredients: 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into one inch strips 1/4 cup olive oil, preferably Spanish 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your spice preference) 1 tsp dried oregano 1 ts...