Muffin Tin Chef (11 page)

For the Cabbage Rolls:
Bring the rice and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken or turkey, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook until the chicken or turkey is browned throughout, then carefully drain away any excess liquid. Stir in the cooked rice and the mozzarella cheese.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. In batches, blanch the cabbage leaves in the hot water for 1 to 2 minutes to soften slightly and then plunge into the ice water. Drain, and slice off the tough lower spine of each cabbage leaf. Press the cabbage leaves into 12 medium muffin cups and fill each cup with the chicken or turkey mixture. Fold over the tops of the leaves to seal. Bake for about 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the leaves. While the rolls bake, prepare the sauce. When the rolls are done, let cool for about 5 minutes, and invert to unmold.

For the Sauce:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse several times until well combined but still slightly chunky. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Serve over the cabbage rolls.

Wild rice and shiitake mushrooms give these meat-free cabbage rolls an earthy taste, while brie cheese provides ooey-gooey goodness. If you're like me and lack the finesse to properly roll cabbage leaves, making cabbage rolls in a muffin tin removes any angst. You'll want to use the inner, more delicate leaves, as the most outer ones will be too tough to properly fit into the muffin cups.
Serves 6 V, G, F

Bring the wild rice and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Drain the rice and add to a large bowl along with the walnuts, celery, mushrooms, thyme, brie, and salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. In batches, blanch the cabbage leaves in the hot water for 1 to 2 minutes to soften slightly and then plunge into the ice water. Drain, and slice off the tough lower spine of each cabbage leaf. Press the cabbage leaves into 12 medium muffin cups, making sure a generous amount of leaf hangs over the sides. Fill each cup with the wild rice mixture. Fold over the tops of the leaves to seal. Bake for about 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the leaves. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then place a flat object such as a cutting board over the muffin tin and invert to unmold.

This is very different from take-out sweet and sour. Low-fat tofu replaces deep-fried chicken and the sauce tastes much lighter and fresher than the mystery neon goop often served at restaurants.
Serves 6 V

To make the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ketchup, sugar, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, and salt to taste. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white and water. Add the tofu cubes and toss to coat. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cornstarch and mix well.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, swirl to coat the pan, and add the tofu. Cook until golden on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, swirl to coat, and add the green and red bell pepper, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the peppers are tender, about 1 minute, stirring often. Pour in the sauce and cook until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the tofu and pineapple, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Press the egg roll wraps into 12 medium muffin cups. Fill each egg roll cup with the tofu mixture, fold over the tops to seal, and brush with oil. Bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before unmolding. Serve warm.

 

SWEET-AND-SOUR TOFU EGG ROLLS,
page 86

 

PORK CAKES WITH APPLE-PLUM CHUTNEY,
page 88

Pork and apple is a classic combination that's hard to beat. The sweet apple chutney gussied up with dried plums just might be the star of the show here. The flavors of the pork cakes actually get better after a day or two. Use gluten-free oats as a binder if needed.
Serves 6 F

For the Chutney:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the apples begin to sizzle, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the apples have softened and begun to break down, about 15 minutes.

For the Pork Cakes:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg. Mix in the shallot, garlic, jalapeño, sage, mustard, cumin, bread crumbs or oats, salt, and pepper. Gently mix in the ground pork until well combined. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups and bake until an internal temperature of 160°F is reached, about 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. Serve with the apple-plum chutney.

This vegan version of an American classic has a texture that's very similar to its meat-containing brethren. Give it a try on vegetarians and meat eaters
Serves 6 V, F

For the Tomato Jam:
Using a sharp knife, slice a shallow X into the bottom of each tomato. Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 15 seconds and remove with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel back the skin from the tomatoes, starting at the points created by the X. Slice in half, remove the seeds, and chop.

Combine the tomatoes and sugar in a medium saucepan. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.

For the Bean Loaf:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor, process the oats until broken down and powdery. Add the onion, garlic, and sunflower seeds and pulse until well combined. Add the chickpeas, pinto beans, tomato paste, cumin, thyme, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until a thick paste forms, making sure to leave a little bit of texture. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. Serve topped with warm tomato jam.

Shepherd's pie has jumped out of the casserole dish and into the muffin tin. Replacing the white spud topping with sweet potato adds earthy sweetness and a splash of color. These are actually even better after a day or two sitting in the fridge.
Serves 6 F

Steam or boil the sweet potatoes until very tender. Transfer to a medium bowl and mash with the butter, nutmeg, and flour; set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot, turnip, and garlic until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook until the corn is tender, about 1 minute.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together the turkey or chicken, cooked vegetables, bread crumbs, tomato paste, mustard, whole egg, egg white, thyme, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups. Spread the sweet potato mixture over the meat and top with the Parmesan cheese. Bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

 

SWEET POTATO SHEPHERD'S PIE,
page 90

 

BROCCOLI-MUSHROOM FRITTATAS,
page 92