Week 1: Daniel Imburgia's Mackerel Cakes & Firecracker Green Beans with Sweet Orange Creole Remoulade

Editor's note: Recipes appear as submitted and written by contestants.

Secret ingredients: Canned mackerel from King Oscar, Fresh green beans from Tony's Fresh Market, Rice cakes and Navel Oranges from Northern Illinois Food Bank

4 4.05-ounce tins of mackerel fillets in olive oil

6 rice cakes

2 large oranges

½ pound of fresh green beans

2 eggs

½ red bell pepper

1 sweet onion

1/3 cup of mayonnaise and ¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon sweet relish

Creole Seasoning

½ teaspoon Paprika

½ cup of flour

Peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Light green leaf lettuce, remaining ½ orange sliced and parsley for garnish (optional)

Break up rice cakes by hand crushing them into very small pieces. Open and drain mackerel. Dice red pepper and onion. Mince garlic cloves.

Combine juice from ½ of an orange, 1 egg, 1/3 cup of mayonnaise, ½ to ¾ of sweet onion, red pepper, half of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of Louisiana hot sauce and crushed rice cakes in large bowl. Add a dash of Creole seasoning and stir to combine well. Let sit for 5-10 minutes so the rice cake crumbles can soak up excess moisture.

Add mackerel carefully and mix by hand keeping the mackerel in large lumps. Form 6 to 8 mackerel cakes by hand and place on a cool plate or baking pan and put into refrigerator to set for 10-15 minutes.

Combine juice of ½ orange, 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce, ¼ cup mayonnaise, sweet relish, prepared horseradish, paprika and remaining minced garlic and diced onion in a bowl and set in refrigerator.

Wash green beans and pull any stems that may be left on them. Blanch in a shallow pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes. (You can skip this step for crunchier fried green beans).

In a cast iron skillet fill with about 1/8 inch of oil and set to just above medium heat.

Set 2 shallow baking dishes or bowls out. In one, combine 1 egg, juice from ½ an orange and 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce. In the other mix ½ cup of flour and a few dashes of Creole seasoning.

Dredge green beans in flour mixture, then egg mixture, then back in flour mixture. Lay carefully in hot oil, fry until golden brown, remove and set aside.

Remove mackerel cakes from refrigerator and place carefully in hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Serve mackerel cakes and green beans hot with sweet orange Creole rémoulade sauce. Garnish with light leaf lettuce, sliced orange and chopped parsley if desired.

Daniel Imburgia