"Top Home Chef" Contest Appetizer Recipe

Tomorrow the Top Home Chef contest closes to entries. I will announce the outcome here--win or lose. Today, however, I want to share two appetizer recipes.

The first recipe is a video of "Hermosillo Salsa" as if done by two characters in my culinary mystery series. Alli and Gina cook up this appetizer at their cooking channel on YouTube. If you like a different kind of salsa, try this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M34uKpj07o

The second recipe is Fish Mini-Tostadas. We love them! I serve them sometimes for dinner on larger tostada shells. Other times they make a terrific appetizer on the mini-shells. Of course, you could put the fish into taco shells, too. This is a very flavorful and healthful way to have your fish--no frying.

Enjoy:

Recipe for Fish Mini-Tostados (serves 6 as an appetizer)

This recipe looks more complicated than it is. It is a fairly quick dish.

Mini-Taco Shells:

6 corn tortillas                  1 T extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cut 3 circles from each tortilla using a 2” cookie cutter. Chop the remaining pieces of each tortilla into chip size and set aside under a damp paper towel.

Place the 18 tortilla circles on a cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes until crisp. Cool. Set aside in sealed container until ready to use.

Put the leftover tortilla bits on the baking sheet and let them crisp in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Reserve these chips to serve with the Hermosillo Salsa later.

Taco Filling:

1 T extra virgin olive oil                  1# halibut

2 T canned chilies, chopped            1 t lime zest

2 green onion, chopped                    juice of one lime

1 clove garlic, minced                      large handful cilantro, chopped; divided

½ c vegetable broth                          1/8 small head red cabbage, finely shredded

1 Roma tomato, diced fine               Mexican cheese blend, shredded

                                                         Chunky salsa

                                                        18 corn mini-tostados

        

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

Sauté onion until tender and just starting to brown. Add garlic and chilies.

Add broth, tomatoes, and lime zest. Stir to combine. Bring to simmer.

Reduce heat to low and add halibut sprinkled with lime juice.

Simmer halibut flakes with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Shred into small pieces. Drain and reserve liquid for use in soup later. Put fish mixture in a bowl with a slotted spoon for serving. Mix in ¼ cup cilantro, reserving the rest for garnish.

Let guests make their mini-tacos with fish mixture, cabbage, cheese, cilantro,

and salsa. [I use the leftover fish mixture in a fish soup another day.]