Muffin Tin Chef (6 page)

This elegant appetizer (or side dish) gets a salty kick from the capers and a creamy finish from the goat cheese.
Serves 6 to 12 V

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, leek, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook just until the mushrooms are softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the thyme and capers. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Very carefully place one sheet of phyllo pastry on a work surface and cover the remaining sheets with a damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out. Brush oil or melted butter over the surface of the phyllo sheet and cover with another sheet of phyllo. Brush with oil or butter and repeat with another 2 phyllo sheets so you have 4 layers. With the tip of a sharp knife or pizza cutter, carefully cut the layered sheets into 6 equal segments from top to bottom and then at the midway point from left to right to form 12 squares. Cut each square in half to form 24 rectangles. Stuff the phyllo into 24 mini muffin cups and place a dollop of goat cheese in each. Divide the mushroom mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Bake until the phyllo is crisp and browned on the edges, about 8 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

Salty and cheesy, with a fiery bite. Beautiful! If you're serving any gluten-sensitive individuals, use gluten-free flour such as brown rice.
Serves 6 to 12

Grease 12 mini muffin cups with butter and sprinkle flour into each. Tap out any excess flour. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is lightly golden, about 2 minutes. (You're fundamentally making a roux.) Whisk in the milk, remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the egg yolks, prosciutto, jalapeño or serrano peppers, cheddar cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper. The mixture will be thick. Let cool to about room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the prosciutto mixture, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups and bake until puffed and set, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before unmolding. They will fall upon cooling.

The smoky heat from the chipotle chiles really turns things up a notch. Sour cream provides some cooling relief for guests who are heat sensitive. Look for canned chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce in the Latin section of your grocer. It's such a versatile flavor booster and a little goes a long way, so it's one of those items worth ordering online if you can't find it locally.
Serves 6 to 12

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, green onions, tomatoes, bell pepper, apple cider vinegar, chipotle chile, and salt and pepper to taste. With a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of the wonton wrappers with oil. Press the wrappers into 24 mini muffin cups, making sure the bottoms are as flat as possible. Place a small amount of mozzarella cheese in each cup. Top with the chicken mixture and then the cheddar cheese. Bake until the wonton wrappers are golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

In a small bowl, stir the together sour cream, lime zest, and lime juice. Serve alongside the chicken cups.

 

TWO-CHEESE SMOKY CHICKEN CUPS,
page 46

 

SPINACH DIP BOWLS,
page 48

Chips and dip are a big part of party fare. For the bowls, you can also use naan bread or even store-bought pizza crust.
Serves 6 to 12 V

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut 24 (2-inch) rounds from the flatbread using a cookie cutter, the top of a glass, a 1/4-cup metal measure, or similar object that is about the same size as the top of a mini muffin cup. Brush both sides of each round with oil and carefully press into 24 mini muffin cups, making sure the bottoms are flat. Bake until crispy, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, blanch the spinach by bringing a large pot of water to a boil and filling a large bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the pot and boil until bright green in color, about 30 seconds. Drain and place in the ice water for about 2 minutes. Drain and squeeze out as much liquid as possible between sheets of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Chop the spinach finely. Place the artichoke hearts between sheets of paper towel and press to remove excess liquid. Chop the artichoke hearts finely and place in a large bowl along with the spinach, ricotta cheese, sour cream, garlic, lemon zest, nutmeg, cayenne pepper or hot sauce, and salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine well.

Remove the muffin tin from oven and stuff each bread cup with the spinach mixture. Cover with aluminum foil, return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before unmolding, and serve.

You can use store-bought pesto for the caprese cups on page 50, but making your own will almost always produce more flavorful results. And it's so simple! Use extras in pasta or sandwiches, mixed with cooked potatoes, or freeze in your mini muffin cups.
Makes about 3/4 cup F

Place the basil, garlic, and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely minced. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt, and process until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube until fully combined.

Caprese is an Italian sandwich or salad made predominantly with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. This spin is fit for a crowd and a lot less messy than that other Italian favorite, bruschetta. If possible, use buffalo mozzarella, which is most often sold in containers with water. The prepared cups can be assembled a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. You can also make these a side dish by cutting bigger tortilla rounds and using medium-size muffin cups.
Serves 6 to 12 V

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice the tortillas into rounds about 2 1/2 inches wide using a cookie cutter, the top of a glass, or the top of a metal 1/3-cup measure. You should get 3 rounds per tortilla, and you want them to be slightly larger than the tops of mini muffin cup molds. Brush each tortilla round with oil and place them over the tops of 24 mini muffin cups. Top each round with an equal amount of mozzarella, pesto (about 1/4 teaspoon), and tomatoes. Press each round into the muffin cups molds to form cups. The contents help keep the tortilla rounds in place. Sprinkle each with a pinch of salt. Bake until the tortilla cups are crispy and golden, about 10 minutes. Place the caprese cups on a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil.

 

CAPRESE CUPS,
page 50

 

SMOKED MACKEREL MOUSSE CUPS,
page 52

Inexpensive omega-3-plush smoked mackerel is available at most well-stocked fishmongers. Horseradish gives each bite some zing, while a smooth and creamy consistency will assure your guests never need to know that you used low-fat versions of ricotta and sour cream.
Serves 6 to 12

Lift the mackerel flesh away from skin and place in a food processor along with the ricotta cheese, sour cream, lemon, shallot, horseradish, chives, and pepper. Process until smooth, stopping halfway if needed to scrape the mixture down the sides of the bowl. Refrigerate until cold.