Chef Peter Lee puts local spin on Spanish ‘pinxtos’

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A new restaurant in Santa Barbara is trying to connect State Street to the Funk Zone through tapas and sangria.

Chef Peter Lee left a French restaurant in Las Vegas to head up the kitchen of Loquita, a Spanish restaurant with a California tilt.

He met up with KCRW at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market to pick up produce to incorporate into bite-size, flavor-packed appetizers known as “pinxtos” in northern Spain.

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Loquita chef Peter Lee shows off delicata squash and shishito peppers from Ellwood Canyon Farms. (Kathryn Barnes/KCRW) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

Chef Peter Lee’s Roasted Delicata Squash Pinxto:

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(Kathryn Barnes/KCRW) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

1. Wash delicata squash and pat dry

2. Cut in half and scoop out insides

3. Cut into half moons (1/2” thick)

4. Put EVOO in saute pan and get to just below smoke point

5. Add delicata squash and make sure it’s 1 single layer, seasoned with salt

6. Roast in 400 degree oven for 3 minutes

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Delicata squash pinxtos (Skyler Gamble/Loquita) (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)

7. Take pan out and turn each squash over, ensuring it’s nicely caramelized, if not, roast a bit longer

8. Add some salt, crushed garlic, fresh thyme and butter

9. Roast in oven for another 3 minutes

10. Take pan out of oven and place squash on wire rack to remove excess oil/fat

11. Wrap bite-size slices of roasted squash with jamon serrano and sherry vinegar, and poke each with a toothpick.

12. Enjoy!
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To check out all our past farmers market segments, head to kcrw.com/meetatthemarket.