Small Plates, Perfect Wines
Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors
by Lori Lyn Narlock
Price: $16.95
ISBN-13: 978-0-7407-6913-9
ISBN-10: 0-7407-6913-8
Format: Paperback
Size: 8 3/4 x 8 in.
Page Count: 152 pages

Small plates, great wine…good times!
In the end, eat and drink what you like. You can never go wrong if you like both the wine and the food. And experiment with your preferences. You never know what great matches you’ll discover.
Mezze, tapas, antipasti, antojitos—no matter what you call them, small plates offer big flavor and are revolutionizing the way we eat.
In Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $16.95), experienced cookbook author Lori Lyn Narlock presents more than 50 delicious small-plate recipes and complementary wine pairings from the culinary experts at the Kendall Jackson Wine Center in Northern California, including celebrated chef Justin Wangler and wine master Randy Ullom.
A sampling of what you’ll find in Small Plates, Perfect Wines:
“Like a well-made dish, a really good menu will also have balance.” —Justin Wangler, Kendall-Jackson executive chef
- Specific chapters on salads, vegetables, meat, seafood, and desserts, with every delicious recipe paired with one or two wonderful wines
- In-depth yet conversational information about wines
- Profiles of a dozen wine varietals, each with a list of compatible recipes from the book
- Unique and helpful sample party menus, from spring celebration to holiday dinner party, along with preparation guides
- Tips on pairing and serving wine
- Presentation ideas. Small plates make it easy to express creativity in the way that a single dish or an entire meal is served.
This fun and festive book is for wine lovers, food lovers, and everyone who likes to entertain. With more than 50 appetizing, four-color photos, an easy-to-follow format, and well-rounded menus, Small Plates, Perfect Wines is like having a caterer standing in the kitchen with you helping you plan dinner. It will turn an ordinary cook into a host extraordinaire.
Lori Lyn Narlock writes about wine, food, and travel and is the author of more than 10 cookbooks. Her writing appears in a variety of publications including Fine Cooking, the San Francisco Chronicle, and San Francisco magazine. She lives in Napa, CA.
The Kendall-Jackson culinary team, headed by executive chef Justin Wangler and wine master Randy Ullom, provides exciting food and wine connections to thousands of guests who visit the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center each year. The team finds inspiration and the highest-quality ingredients from the winery’s 2½-acre culinary sensory gardens and the local food producers of Sonoma County, CA.
From Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors by Lori Lyn Narlock
Serves 6
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1 ¼ pounds Brussels sprouts, quartered
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces Spanish chorizo, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wine pairing: Pinot Noir or Syrah
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put the raisins in a small bowl and add hot water to cover. Let stand until plumped, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Put the Brussels sprouts in a large roasting pan in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the chorizo, butter, shallots, and thyme and return to the oven until the chorizo is sizzling, about 5 minutes longer.
From Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors by Lori Lyn Narlock
Serves 6
- 2 pounds small beets, greens trimmed to 1 inch
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Medjool dates
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Wine pairing: Pinot Noir
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lay two large pieces of aluminum foil in an X on a baking sheet. Place the beets in the center and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Gather the foil into a packet and crimp to seal.
Bake until the beets are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 40 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Meanwhile, combine the dates, cumin, and fennel in a small saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and let the dates cool to the touch. Peel the skin from the dates, remove and reserve the pits, and chop the dates.
In a blender, combine the dates, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid, and the reserved date pits. Puree until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Add more reserved cooking liquid to thin if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour a little of the vinaigrette in the center of each of 6 small plates. Arrange some of the beets on top, dividing equally between each portion. Garnish with the chives and serve.
From Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors by Lori Lyn Narlock
Serves 6
- 3 Meyer lemons, or 1 large orange and 1 regular lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus ½ cup, plus oil for brushing
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 12 fresh bay leaves (omit if not available)
- 1 large skinless, boneless whole chicken breast (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large sweet onions, each cut into 12 wedges
- 2 green onions, (white and green parts) coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh basil, cilantro, and flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 pinch each cayenne pepper, allspice, ground cumin, and cinnamon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc
Using a vegetable peeler, peel twelve ½-inch-wide strips of zest from the top to the bottom of 2 of the lemons and set aside. (If using a mixture of oranges and lemons, peel zest from the orange.). Juice all 3 lemons (or the orange and lemon) into a measuring cup; you should have ½ cup.
In a large bowl, combine ¼ cup of the juice, the 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the oregano, and bay leaves. Add the chicken, lemon strips, and onions and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours.
Preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Soak twelve 8-inch bamboo skewers in water to cover for 20 minutes.
In a food processor, combine the remaining ¼ cup juice, remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, the green onions, basil, cilantro, parsley, tarragon, orange zest, cayenne, allspice, cumin, and cinnamon. Process until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the remaining ½ cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream until thoroughly incorporated.
Thread the chicken on the skewers, alternating with the lemon strips, bay leaves, and onion pieces. Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the center of the grill, cover, and cook, turning once or twice, until opaque throughout, 5 to 8 minutes. Divide among 6 small plates. Serve the sauce in small bowls alongside.
From Small Plates, Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors by Lori Lyn Narlock
Makes 6 Cakes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup sugar, plus additional sugar
- 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur, plus additional liqueur
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup heavy cream
Wine pairing: Port
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heavily butter and lightly flour six 4- to 6-ounce ramekins. Knock out the excess flour.
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and the 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in the 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur. Whisk in the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour. Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until firm at the edges and glossy and barely set in the center, 9 to 11 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
In a deep bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add additional sugar and coffee liqueur to taste.
Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cakes to loosen them. Invert each cake onto one of 6 small plates and top each with a dollop of the whipped cream.