Muffin Tin Chef by Matt Kadey (good beach reads .TXT) 📕

1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce

Heat the tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until soft and pliable, 15 to 20 seconds per side. Or, stack the tortillas and microwave on high power uncovered until warm and flexible, about 25 seconds. Brush both sides of the warm tortillas with oil. With the bottom of a glass, gently press the tortillas into 6 jumbo muffin cups. Don’t worry if some of the tortilla folds inward.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Divide the cabbage or lettuce among the tortilla cups. Wash the fish with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice the fish into 1-inch cubes and place in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and lime zest. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the fish and toss to coat. Divide the fish among the tortilla cups and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, toss together the mango, avocado, cilantro, green onions, juice of 1/2 lime, and salt to taste. In a second small bowl, stir together the yogurt, chipotle chile, and the remaining lime juice. Serve the fish tacos topped with the mango salsa and a dollop of yogurt sauce.

SALMON CAKES WITH GRILLED PEACH SALSA

Versatile canned salmon is a natural fit for muffin tin entree creations. If possible, splurge and use canned salmon from a smaller-scale company such as Wild Planet (www.wildplanetfoods.com) that employs sustainable fishing practices and, frankly, offers a much more flavorful product. Serves 4

Salsa:

4 medium peaches, sliced in half and pitted

2 medium red bell peppers

grapeseed or canola oil, as needed

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped fresh mint

juice of 1/2 lime

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Salmon Cakes:

2 (6-ounce) cans pink or sockeye salmon, drained

1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup low-fat milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, preferably ground in a mortar and pestle

3/4 teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the Salsa: Preheat a grill to medium. Brush the peaches and bell peppers with oil. Grill the peaches until slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Grill the red peppers until slightly charred all over, turning about every 2 minutes. Let cool. In a medium bowl, toss together the red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, mint, lime juice, and orange zest. Remove the skin from the peaches. Chop the peaches and red pepper, and stir into the onion mixture.

For the Salmon Cakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, flake the salmon with a fork. Using a fork, mix in the carrot, shallot, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, lemon juice, tarragon, fennel seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture among 10 medium muffin cups and pack down gently with the back of a spoon. Bake until slightly browned on top and set, about 25 minutes. Let the cakes rest for several minutes before unmolding. Serve with the peach salsa.

CRAB CAKES WITH CORN-TOMATO RELISH

These delightful crab cakes are considerably lighter than the fried version. One cup frozen corn kernels can be used in place of fresh. Serves 6

Crab Cakes:

2 large eggs

1 cup panko (Japanese-style) bread crumbs

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

2 teaspoons grainy or Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

juice of 1/2 lemon

several dashes of hot sauce such as

Sriracha or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 (5-ounce) cans chunk crabmeat or about 10 ounces fresh lump crabmeat

Corn Relish:

2 ears corn grapeseed or canola oil, as needed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced

2 green onions, green and white parts, sliced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

juice of 1/2 lime

1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro

For the Crab Cakes: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the bread crumbs, bell pepper, celery, garlic, chives, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot sauce or cayenne pepper, sour cream, salt, and black pepper. Gently fold in the crabmeat and then divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups. Bake until golden and set, about 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

For the Corn Relish: Preheat a grill to medium. Remove the husks from the corn and brush the kernels with oil. Grill until the kernels are tender and slightly charred, turning the corn several times during grilling. Let cool and slice off the kernels into a bowl. Or, slice off the raw corn kernels and sauté in 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat until tender. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, green onions, red wine vinegar, lime juice, and cilantro to the bowl and toss. Serve the crab cakes with the corn salsa.

CRAB CAKES WITH CORN-TOMATO RELISH, page 82

CHICKEN-RICE CABBAGE ROLLS, page 84

CHICKEN-RICE CABBAGE ROLLS

The mélange of rice, poultry, cheese, and an easy-peasy fresh tomato sauce team up to deliver a big time flavor punch. Serves 6 G, F

Cabbage Rolls:

3/4 cup Wehani rice or other brown rice

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil

1 pound ground chicken or turkey breast

1 large onion, diced

1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)

12 savoy cabbage leaves

Sauce:

5 plum (Roma) tomatoes

3 green onions, green and white parts, sliced

3 garlic