Muffin Tin Chef (13 page)

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl and stir in the cooked quinoa, carrot, eggs, walnuts, thyme, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups, making sure to pack down the contents. Bake until set and golden on top, about 30 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

To make the aioli, stir together the mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Serve over the quinoa cakes.

Here's a good way to get the little ones (and the grown-up ones) to eat their broccoli and beans.
Serves 6 V, F

For the Cakes:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the broccoli florets in a food processor and process until the broccoli has been pulverized into small bits. If you don't have a food processor, simply chop very finely with a knife. Add the broccoli to a large bowl with the navy beans and mash gently. Stir in the eggs, 1/2 cup of the panko bread crumbs, and the shallot, hemp seeds, if using, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture among 12 medium muffin cups, making sure to pack the contents tightly. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining panko bread crumbs and press down gently. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn on the oven's broiler and heat until the bread crumbs on top are toasted, about 1 minute more. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

For the Butter Sauce:
Place the butter and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in the lemon juice and salt, and heat for 2 minutes. Serve over the broccoli bean cakes.

Indian-inspired dishes are notorious for giving your spice rack a good workout. These no-fry, open-faced samosas are no exception.
Serves 6 V

For the Samosas:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potato and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until the potato is tender and onion has softened, about 6 minutes more. Stir in the ginger, cumin, fennel, if using, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, and cook 1 minute. Add the peas and cashews and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the garam masala and lemon juice. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 12-inch square. Using a knife or pizza wheel, cut the pastry into 12 rectangular pieces by slicing 4 vertical rows and 3 horizontal rows. Stuff the rectangles into 12 medium muffin cups and poke the bottoms with a fork to prevent puffing. Divide the potato mixture among the pastry cups and bake until the pastry is crispy and golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before unmolding.

For the Chutney:
Place all of the chutney ingredients in a food processor and process until well combined and the herbs have been reduced to small bits. Serve with the samosa puffs.

Here's proof that a soufflé doesn't need to be a monumental kitchen task or torpedo your diet.
Serves 6 V

Steam or boil the butternut squash until very tender. Transfer to a medium bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. You only need 1 cup butternut puree for this recipe, so reserve any extra for another use. Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously grease 12 medium muffin cups with butter and dust with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Tap out any excess flour. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion, sage, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed squash, anchovies, if using, and Gruyère cheese. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.

In a clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk or electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Whisk one-quarter of the egg whites into the squash mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups and bake until puffed and golden brown on top, about 18 minutes. Resist the temptation to open the oven door during cooking, as this can muck up the rising. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding. The soufflés will take a nose dive in the middle upon cooling. Serve with additional shredded cheese on top.

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUFFLÉS,
page 104

 

SWEET POTATO—SWISS CHARD GRATINS,
page 106

Who says a gratin has to arrive at the dinner table in a casserole dish? These three-tier taste bombs won't disappoint. Make sure to purchase sweet potatoes that are not too wide so that the sliced rounds will fit into medium-size muffin cups. Roasting the potato slices instead of boiling, steaming, or microwaving them adds an extra flavor dimension.
Serves 6 V, G, F

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the sweet potato into 36 rounds 1/4 inch thick and toss with the oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out the rounds on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the sour cream, rosemary, paprika, and nutmeg. Place a roasted sweet potato round in each of 12 medium muffin cups. Divide one-half of the cheese mixture and one-half of the Swiss chard among the muffin cups. Place a second sweet potato round on top of the greens, and top with the remaining cheese mixture and Swiss chard. Place a third sweet potato round over the chard and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before unmolding.

Pumped full of garlic loveliness, these individual cornbreads are best made jumbo-size so it takes longer before only crumbs are left on my plate. You certainly can prepare them in medium muffin cups, but you'll need to reduce cooking time by a few minutes. Serve warm with butter.
Serves 6 V, F

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease 6 jumbo muffin cups with butter. Remove any excess papery covering on the garlic bulbs and slice off the tops of the bulbs so most of the cloves are exposed. Wrap the bulbs in foil and bake until the garlic is very soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 400°F. Once cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape out the garlic pulp into a small bowl and mash well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and thyme. In a second large bowl, lightly beat the eggs and whisk in the buttermilk and olive oil. Stir in the mashed garlic. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stir to combine, then fold in the Parmesan cheese.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and bake until golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before unmolding.

Although commonly compared to turnips, the larger rutabaga has a sweeter flavor with less of a peppery bite. When cooked and mashed, it is a wonderful alternative to potatoes in recipes.
Serves 6 V, F

Steam or boil the rutabaga until very tender. Transfer the cooked rutabaga to a bowl of a food processor along with the flour, butter, thyme, mustard, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Blend until well combined. You can also do this in a large bowl using a potato masher or even a fork.