Are your big dinner party plans clashing with your small budget? Consider keeping your plates small, too.

Spanish-style tapas are by definition budget-friendly, since they are small plates of food traditionally served at bars. Most can be prepared quickly and using inexpensive ingredients, allowing you to serve a varied and flavorful menu while keeping costs down.

And you don’t need to be limited to Spanish cuisine. Most Mediterranean cultures have their own versions of tapas, such as Italian bruschetta and crostini and Greek meze.

SPANISH TAPAS

Seasonal fruits and vegetables are key to Jose Andres’ budget tapas menu. The Washington chef, cookbook author and owner of several award-winning tapas restaurants says produce keeps flavors fresh and costs down.

He suggests skewers of tomato-topped watermelon drizzled with dressing, as well as a fruity summer sangria.

STEAK FOR LESS

Small plates also are a good way to stretch pricier proteins, such as steak, pork tenderloin, salmon or crab cakes, says Tina Ujlaki, executive food editor of Food & Wine magazine.

“Even if you are on a budget, it’s a great way to still be able to offer a bit of luxury,” she says.

Try seared pork tenderloin with a mustard-fruit glaze, thinly sliced and accompanied by a cooked plum puree.

• Slices of smoked salmon with a salsa made of finely diced cucumbers, pickled onions and capers.

• Three-bite crab cakes with a four-vegetable slaw, using your favorite seasonal vegetables finely shredded or chopped.

BUFFET OF BRUSCHETTA

Using bread, potatoes or pasta as the base ingredients for your menu is another good way to offer plenty of food without spending a lot, says Lucinda Scala Quinn, executive food director at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

She suggests toasting or grilling slices of a rustic bread, rubbing them with garlic and topping them with a variety of flavors and textures, such as:

• A basic homemade pesto and a seasonal vegetable, such as roasted red peppers, peeled and marinated in olive oil and garlic.

• Shredded zucchini with lemon, basil, a drizzle of olive oil and crumbled or grated cheese.

WHITE SANGRIA

1 cup mixed cut fresh fruit (such as strawberries, peaches, white grapes)

750-millileter bottle dry sparkling wine, chilled

2 ounces brandy

2 ounces vanilla liqueur

2 ounces white grape juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 small sprig fresh mint

Fill a glass pitcher with ice, then add the fruit. Slowly pour in the sparkling wine, tilting the bottle and pitcher as needed so the wine runs down the inside of the pitcher walls.

In a large measuring cup, mix the brandy, vanilla liqueur, white grape juice and sugar. Pour over the fruit and sparkling wine, then garnish with mint. Serves 4.

— Recipe from Jose Andres’ “Made in Spain,” Clarkson Potter, 2008.

WATERMELON AND TOMATO SKEWERS

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

8 bamboo skewers

1/4 seedless watermelon, flesh cut into 2-inch cubes

8 cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Salt, to taste

Fresh herbs or herb flowers (such as lavender or borage), for the garnish (optional)

Place 1 watermelon cube on each skewer, then top with tomato-seed fillets on top. Arrange the skewers standing on a serving plate.

In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, the oil and vinegar. Pour the dressing over the skewers, then garnish with the remaining lemon zest and the herb flowers. Serve immediately.

— Recipe adapted from Jose Andres’ “Made in Spain,” Clarkson Potter, 2008.

CHICKEN WING CONFIT WITH GREEN OLIVE PUREE

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

7 garlic cloves (3 peeled and minced), divided

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 1/2 pounds chicken winglets (upper joint only), about 12 pieces

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup pitted green olives

1/4 cup water

4 1/4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 cups dry breadcrumbs

Salt, to taste

In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the minced garlic and smoked paprika. Add the chicken winglets, toss to coat and season with salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

When ready, in a blender combine the parsley, olives, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and the water. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a large wide pot over low, heat 4 cups of the vegetable oil until it reaches 200 degrees. Add the remaining 4 cloves of garlic, 2 sprigs of the rosemary, 2 sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf.

Add the winglets, spreading them in the pot to cook evenly. Cook for 20 minutes until the meat starts to separate from the bones.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the winglets to a paper towel-lined plate and drain. When cool enough to handle, carefully debone the winglets with your fingers, trying to keep the shape of the winglets intact.

Remove the leaves from the remaining sprig of rosemary and the thyme and finely chop. In a large bowl, combine the herbs with the breadcrumbs. Add the winglets to the breadcrumbs, one at a time, and pat them with breadcrumbs, making sure to coat them well.

In a large saute pan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of vegetable oil over medium. Working in batches, carefully add the breaded winglets and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the breaded winglets to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

To serve, divide the winglets between 4 plates. Put a teaspoon of the olive puree on top of each winglet and season with salt. Serves 4.

— Recipe adapted from Jose Andres’ “Made in Spain,” Clarkson Potter, 2008.