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SERVES 4

1 large sweet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and shredded (about 2 cups)

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Four 8-ounce center-cut skinless salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

Smoked Salmon-Chile Mulato Sauce

The idea for this dish comes from a chef at culinary school who liked to bread salmon with shredded russet potatoes. Sweet potatoes add a whole new dimension to this delicate crust—a perfect counterpoint for the smoky sauce.

Mix the sweet potato, egg white, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and the nutmeg in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the salmon all over with salt and pepper. Spoon one fourth of the sweet potato mixture over each salmon fillet, and pat it out to form a crust.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy sauté pan over high heat. Carefully place the salmon pieces, crust side down, in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Using a spatula, carefully turn the salmon pieces over and cook for 8 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.

Spoon ¼ cup of the sauce onto each of 4 serving plates. Place a piece of salmon on each plate, and serve.

MUSSELS IN SAFFRON-CILANTRO CREAM

SERVES 4

1½ cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

¾ cup dry white wine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in puree

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Even though saffron is a Spanish spice (and the world’s most expensive one), it is often used in Mexican cuisine. I use it in this cream sauce for a richer, more flavorful alternative to the very popular mussels marinara. You can find bagged mussels, already scrubbed and debearded, at most markets. Be sure to discard any mussels with broken and open shells before you cook them, and any that don’t open after they’ve been cooked.

Combine the cream and saffron in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the cream thickens.

Combine the mussels, wine, and garlic in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, or until the mussels begin to open. Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a large bowl (discard any unopened mussels).

Add the saffron cream to the pot and stir in the tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.

Stir in the ¼ cup cilantro, and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the mussels. Sprinkle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve.

VERACRUZ-STYLE SNAPPER

* SERVES 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

Four 6-ounce red snapper fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1½ cups canned crushed tomatoes with juice

1 Anaheim chile, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

½ cup halved pitted green olives

¼ cup capers, drained

Traditionally served with roasted small white potatoes (papitas de cambray) or white rice, this dish is a great representation of the European influence on the cuisine of the Gulf of Mexico. Add raisins and a pinch of cinnamon if you want some sweetness to contrast with the savory capers and olives; for a traditional take, garnish the fish with pickled jalapeños. Either way, a crisp white wine makes a lovely accompaniment.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fish fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Cook the fillets for 2 minutes per side, or until the fish is opaque and just cooked through. Transfer the fish fillets to a glass baking dish where they can fit snugly.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for