Pinchos de Churrascos
Enjoy these bites alone or on a skewer. Drizzle with the mignonette for a spicy bite of Latin-inspired cuisine. The contrast of textures and flavors make for a tasty dish with a beautiful presentation. If you’re up for a celebration, pair this trio with a cool and refreshing mojito cocktail.

Grape Tomatoes with Chimichurri
Peel 1.5 pints grape tomatoes by blanching in 350F corn oil for a few seconds and plunging in ice water to cool. The peel will slide off easily. For the chimichurri, mix together 2 tablespoons curly parsley, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and sea salt and pepper, to taste. Toss with the tomatoes.

Avocado Croutons
Cut three to five fresh avocados into one-half inch cubes. Toss with 2 beaten egg whites and roll in 2 cups of finely crushed tortilla chips. Fry in 350F corn oil until golden brown. Remove from the oil to drain over paper towels. Immediately season with sea salt and pepper.

Seared Churrascos Bites
Butterfly (lengthwise) a 16-ounce prime beef tenderloin. You should have a 5” by 10” steak about one-half inch thick. Rub all sides with softened butter and cracked black pepper. Heat an iron skillet over high heat. Sear the meat on the uncut side for about 2 minutes or until nicely browned. Sear the second side for about 30 seconds more or until medium rare. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Cut into one-half inch cubes. Season with sea salt, to taste.

Cilantro-Jalapeño Mignonette
Combine 4 tablespoons each of finely chopped cilantro, jalapeño and shallot. Mix with 8 tablespoons rice wine vinegar and 4 tablespoons mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine). Add sea salt and pepper, to taste. Recipe yields 6-8 servings (approximately 48 pieces per individual item).