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Eat half as much and feel twice as full, by harnessing
the power of America's hottest culinary trend
By: Jeffery Lindenmuth
Whether it's Spanish tapas, Chinese dim sum, or Greek mezes, small plates are huge news in American restaurants. And no one's walking away hungry. Why? Because big flavors
can be just as filling as big portions. "Most places specializing in small plates create taste-rich sensations in microsize bites," says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell
University food lab and author of Mindless Eating. "And we've found that much of a man's eating satisfaction is derived from the flavor intensity and visual impact of a meal, not
necessarily the amount served."

So forget mounds of mediocre food. Instead, downsize your dinner--and your gut--with these small but hugely satisfying dishes,
courtesy of America's leading small-plate chefs.
Spicy Garlic Shrimp
The chef: Seamus Mullen
The restaurant: Boqueria, New York City

1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp red-pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
16 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

In a small saut pan, heat the oil until it starts to shimmer (just below smoking temperature); add the pepper flakes, and then the garlic. As the garlic begins to brown, season the
shrimp with salt and pepper, then place the shrimp in the pan with the garlic, swirling the pan gently. Saut over medium-high heat for 1 minute, then stir in the parsley. Saut for
another minute, remove from the heat, and serve. Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 249 calories, 23 grams (g) protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat (2 g saturated), less than 1 g fi ber

Mini Blue-Cheese Steaks on Salad
The chef: Chris Santos
The restaurant: The Stanton Social, New York City

1 lb hanger or skirt steak, cut into 4 equal portions
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp cooking oil

Salad
2 cups toasted, large, cubed pieces of baguette, crusts removed
1 bag mixed salad greens
2 pt cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup Cabrales or other soft blue cheese
1 red onion, sliced thin
1/4 bunch chives, chopped

Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/8-1/4 cup olive oil

Rub the steaks liberally with salt and coarse black pepper. Heat the cooking oil in an ovenproof saut pan until it begins to smoke lightly. Add the steaks to the pan and cook for 1
minute. Turn the steaks, then place the pan in a preheated 500F oven for 5 minutes. Remove the steaks from the pan and allow them to rest while you assemble the salad.

Toss the salad components with the vinaigrette (whisk the three ingredients) and divide among four plates. Slice the steaks thinly and
place on top of the salad. Garnish with blue cheese. Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 488 calories, 38 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat (10 g saturated), 5 g fiber
Vietnamese Chicken Skewers
The chef: Michael Bao Huynh
The restaurant: Mai house,New York City

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2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, inner leaves only, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 jalapeo peppers, split, seeds removed
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 cup fish sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
J uice of 1 lime
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
Wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

Combine the garlic, onion, lemongrass, ginger, peppers, cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, and lime in a saucepan. S lowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then take off the stove and cool.
Toss the chicken into the marinade and let it marinate for 1 to 2 hours. Skewer the chicken cubes and grill them for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until they're firm and lightly charred. Makes
4 servings

Per serving: 112 calories, 16 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, less than 1 g fat (less than 1 g saturated), less than 1 g fiber

Chickpeas with Chorizo
The chef: Ken Oringer
The restaurant: Toro, Boston

1/2 large onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz Serrano ham or prosciutto, chopped
4 oz ready-to-eat Spanish chorizo, sliced in 1/4" rounds
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chopped frozen spinach
1 cup canned chickpeas
Salt and pepper to taste
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Saut the onion, garlic, and bay leaf in the olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the ham and chorizo, and cook for another 5 minutes. Then stir in the tomato paste and
white wine and cook for 10 more minutes. Once the wine has evaporated, add the spinach and chickpeas and their liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and
turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf. Serve with the eggs and a drizzle of olive oil. Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 438 calories, 20 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 29 g fat (7 g saturated), 5 g fiber

Braised Salmon with Soy and Ginger
The chef: Susanna Foo
The restaurant: Susanna Foo Chinese Cuisine, Philadelphia

16 oz salmon fillet
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1/4 cup mirin*
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vodka
1 Tbsp butter
2 scallions (white parts only), chopped
3-4 sprigs cilantro
* Mirin is a J apanese condiment that's available in the ethnic-food sections of most supermarkets.

Cut the salmon into 1" squares. Heat the olive oil in a 12" nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add the sal mon cubes and ginger. Sear together for about 1 minute, then pour the
mirin, soy sauce, and vodka over the salmon. Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes, until the f ish turns pale. Add the butter and turn off the heat. Spoon the salmon
onto a serving plate and top with the scallion and cilantro. Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 359 calories, 24 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat (5 g saturated), 1 g fiber

Complete the Meal
For a full meal, add a salad and a vegetable small plate to your main entre. Each option has been infused with the biggest flavors from around the globe. Simply use the color-coded
icons to find the culinary companions that best match your main selection. (Each recipe makes 4 servings.)

Salads
Start with: 4 cups loosely packed mixed greens

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American
Add:
1 ripe pear peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp toasted walnuts

Toss with:
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper

Asian
Add:
1 orange peeled and sectioned
1 carrot grated
2 scallions chopped

Toss with:
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp peanut oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger

Mediterranean
Add:
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts quartered
2 Tbsp toasted almonds

Toss with:
1 Tbsp red- or white-wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Vegetables
Start with: A 2-pound mix of any of the following vegetables, cut into similar-size pieces: asparagus, zucchini, carrot, onion, cherry tomato. Brown in a 400F oven for 15 minutes.

American
Add:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

Asian
Add:
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame seeds

Mediterranean
Add:
2 Tbsp pesto fresh or bottled (toss the vegetables in it before roasting)
Squeeze of lemon
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