Round 1, Challenge 8 Cathy Henry

WHAAAT! That was my initial reaction to the mystery ingredients. A few deep breaths and serious thought later, I became inspired to combine the flavors of fish tacos with the components of crabcakes. The result is a Mexican tuna cake with chipotle mayonnaise and brussels sprouts and red cabbage slaw topped with sweet and spicy almonds for crunch, taste, and texture. In my first attempt (and low point), I used corn tortillas to coat the cakes. The cakes didn't hold together and tortilla bits were popping out of the pan like little bursts of popcorn. I switched to flour tortillas and used them within the cake like bread crumbs and the result was great. The cakes looked better, tasted better and held together for a pretty presentation. The taste testers came back for my second try and praised the cakes, calling them amazing. This experience has tested my creativity as a cook. While first intimidated by the ingredients, they provided a fun challenge and allowed me the opportunity to create a cohesive dish that tastes great and makes sense. I hope to continue with the competition to see where the next challenge takes me and my love of cooking.

- Mary J. Insprucker