I make these portable savory cakes about once a month ’cause I aways have the ingredients on hand. You may not normally associate canned fish with sweet potatoes and jalapeño peppers, but trust me on this one: they’re tender and subtly sweet, with a wickedly peppery bite that sneaks up on you. The heat levels can be adjusted to your taste; amp it up by subbing serrano peppers in place of jalapeño, or turn it down by cutting down on the red pepper flakes. Serve these spicy cakes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—or whip up an extra-big batch for your next dinner party!

Here’s what to gather to make 12 cakes:

• 3 tablespoons melted ghee, divided
• 10 ounces canned tuna in water, drained
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro
• 1⅓ cup mashed baked sweet potato
• finely grated zest from ½ medium lemon
• 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium lemons, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment:

• Silicone Brush
• 12 cup muffin tin
• Large Bowl
• Kitchen knife
• Cutting board
• Microplane
• Measuring cups
• Larger Disher

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and use a brush to grease a 12 cup muffin tin

 with one tablespoon of melted ghee. (Or skip this part and just line the tin with parchment muffin liners!)

In a large bowl, mix together the tuna, scallions, and cilantro. Add the mashed sweet potato to the tuna mixture, and gently combine.

Then, mix in the lemon zest, jalapeño, the remaining two tablespoons of ghee, eggs, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I normally use 1½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt, but your taste may vary.

(Not sure if you’ve added enough S&P? Take a small portion and fry up a little pancake to see if the seasoning is right!)

I use my hands to mix everything together because that way I can make sure that the fish chunks aren’t overly broken up.

Scoop a ¼ quarter cup of the mixture into each greased muffin tin cup, and flatten with the back of a spoon.

Bake the tuna cakes for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool. The easiest way I’ve found to get them out is to put the wire rack on top of the muffin tin…

…flip everything upside-down, and tap them gently on the counter. Voilà!

Grab a lemon wedge and squeeze some juice on your tuna cake before your pop it in your mouth. They’re fantastic right out of the oven. Alternatively, store them in the fridge in a air-tight container for up to four days, and when you’re ready to eat, skillet-fry the cakes in some melted fat over medium heat. Crisp the edges, and you’re good to go.

Now go make a mess in your kitchen!