Panzanella Salad

New Recipe Alert!

Earlier this week I made an Ina Garten Panzanella Salad and it was a hit... not so much with the kids but definitely for Ross and I. I loved the simplicity of all the fresh, colorful ingredients in this salad. If you can surmount the chopping, then it's quite simple. Don't skimp on the basil, it adds color and flavor!

As I was snapping some food pictures I hear "CHEEESE" and look over to find Paige Renae just smiling ear to ear. Cuteness.

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Recipe Finder

My favorite place to find new recipes is Foodgawker.com because it's all about the pictures. You can basically eat with your eyes and let them decide what looks good enough to actually make yourself. Tonight we made "one pot Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice", which I found on this website. It got a thumbs up from the whole family, except for Paige, who just wanted more mandarin oranges. She did pick the black beans out and eat them, so I'm calling it a winner. I didn't get any pictures so follow the link above to eat with your eyes, then make it yourself!

One Pot Lime Chicken and Rice

One Pot Lime Chicken and Rice – healthy and filling meal with rice, beans and flavor-packed chicken thighs cooked in one pan. Easy weeknight dinner; comes ready in less than 45 minutes!

Ingredients

Chicken Thighs Marinate 

• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 -3 pound chicken thighs (about 5-6 pieces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ Tablespoon lime juice (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 -1 Teaspoon minced garlic 
• 2 tablespoons Adobo seasoning or your favorite chicken seasoning 

Chicken and Rice 

• ½ medium onion , diced
• ½ jalapenos pepper , diced
• 2 small bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin spice
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2-3 garlic clove , minced
• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 3-4 . Tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth or water
• 1/2 Tablespoon Lime Juice 
• 1 lime grated zest 
• 15.5 oz black beans , rinsed and drained
• Cilantro and lime Slices (for garnish)
• 1 Teaspoon White pepper 
• Salt to taste 
• 2 cups Frozen Peas 

Instructions

1. Wash chicken thighs For faster cooking, make a ½ ” slit into chicken thigh meat on either side of the chicken, then wipe with a paper towel. Season with salt (about 1 ½ teaspoons).  Sprinkle lime juice on chicken, followed by garlic  
2. Generously rub both sides with adobo spice blend. Or your favorite spice mix. If desired this can be done hour before to let it marinate .
3. Place chicken skin side up in a skillet/Dutch oven or oven safe pot/pan for about 3 minutes each. Be very careful with the chicken, it shouldn’t burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Meanwhile, place the rice into a large bowl, cover with cold water and use your hands to wash the grains. Tip the water out, then repeat twice until the water runs clear.
6. Wipe the same pan with paper towel or napkin to remove any burns from pan. If not visible burns proceed with the next step .
7. Add about 2 tablespoons oil or more, followed by onions, jalapenos, cumin, paprika, and bay leaf .Sauté until soft but not golden, about 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for another minute.
8. Next, add rice, stir for about a minute , then pour over chicken stock/broth ,lime juice, grated lime zest, and beans. Season with white pepper  and  salt   to taste.
9. Add the chicken back to the pan, with it's juice. 

   Place in the oven and cook for about 30- 35 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
10. Remove, let it cool and serve, garnish with slices of lime and cilantro

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Falafel

Last week I made Falafel with a Tatziki sauce and served it up in a warm homemade pita with a spicy no mayo coleslaw. Does that sound delicious? I sure hope so, because it was, but I failed to take any pictures so you'll have to take my word for it!!

Falafel is near and dear to my heart because it reminds me of visiting Egypt- it was my favorite dish (and my security blanket!)

Here are the recipes:

Homemade Pita Bread

(see website for recipe and technique, I baked in the oven versus the stove top!)

Falafel

Makes about 21 balls

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Panko

Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Put in a medium sized bowl and smash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Form into small balls, about 1 1/2″ in diameter and slightly flatten. Roll in Panko crumbs. Place onto an oiled saute pan.

Pan fry 5 min on each side, until nicely browned 

Serve with mini pita pockets, hummus, tahini sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and/or cucumber.

Tzatziki Dressing

1/2 English cucumber
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 -1/2 cup milk
(depending on how thick/thin you want your dressing)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 green onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste

1. Using your box grater, grate your cucumber into a strainer (with a bowl underneath). Sprinkle some coarse salt over the shreds and allow the water from them to leech for 20 minutes. Squeeze any remaining liquid out of the shreds with your hands and place in a bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients in to the bowl and stir to incorporate. Adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in a tight jar for up to 1 week.
3. Serve over greens of your choice.

Crunchy Peanut Coleslaw

1 big bowl of slaw, serves at least 8

1 medium head green cabbage, outer leaves removed
1 1/2 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 bunch green onions
1 cup chopped cilantro (about two big handfuls unchopped)
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
1/2 cup light oil, like canola
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more, to taste)

Shred the cabbage very finely. The fineness of the shredded cabbage is really what makes this salad; you want it in in threads, almost, and with the threads chopped into bite-size lengths. Toss with the peanuts in a large bowl. Chop the scallions, including the green and white parts. Toss the scallions and chopped cilantro with the cabbage, seasoning very lightly with salt and pepper.

Whisk the dressing until emulsified, then taste and adjust to your own preferences of sweetness and saltiness.

Toss with the cabbage. Garnish with a few more peanuts and serve.

Hope you enjoy!

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Feta-Basil Crusted Halibut with Risotto

Ross and I are always looking for different ways to prepare fish- it's pretty easy to get bored eating salmon and halibut when you have a freezer full of it. So if you have any good fish recipes, please pass 'em along!

When the family came to visit Alaska for Christmas, we made Feta-Basil Crusted Halibut with Risotto and Wilted Spinach. I liked this dish a lot. The saltiness of the feta and the fresh herb flavor of the basil go nicely with the homemade bread crumbs. (I highly suggest buy a nice loaf of bread and making your own breadcrumbs because they're such a big component of this dish). The wilted spinach and the risotto made for a pretty and colorful plating.

Baking the Halibut in the oven. Bake time will depend on your thickest piece!

Jeff learned how to make risotto; a lot of stirring!

Quick and Easy Wilted Spinach

The final look: Halibut atop wilted spinach sitting over creamy risotto.

The cook team. 

Here are the recipes, adapted from the The Bite House:

Feta-Basil Crusted Halibut

• 4 halibut filets
• 4 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/2-1 cup homemade breadcrumbs*
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• small handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• a few twist of ground black pepper

*To make homemade breadcrumbs bake slices of bread at 300°F until they’re really dry, then crumble in a food processor.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, feta, basil, olive oil, and black pepper.
Lay the halibut in an oiled baking dish and spread 1 teaspoon of mustard on each.
Cover the fish with the crust mixture, and don’t worry about some falling around, you’ll use it on the plate.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the halibut. You want to keep it moist.

Garlic Wilted Spinach

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 handfuls of baby spinach

In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat, add the garlic and swirl around for a minute.
Add the spinach, stir, cover, remove from heat, and let stand for a minute.

Basic Risotto

• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2-3 cups water or vegetable or chicken stock
• 100 g aged cheddar, grated
• salt + ground black pepper

Bring the stock (or water) to a simmer, and keep it hot on the back burner at low heat.
In a medium skillet, on medium-high heat cook the onions in 3 tablespoons of butter until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice, stir, and add the white wine. Let it simmer until most of the wine is absorbed.
Laddle in some stock to cover the rice. Keep stirring.
Once the liquid is absorbed, laddle in a bit more stock. Proceed until the rice is al dente. It should take about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the cheddar, and season with salt and black pepper. If the risotto seems too dry, add a few more tablespoons of stock.

3 years ago: Z-Pack Please

2 years ago: Green Gator

1 year ago: Trying to Choose a Pup?

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Wild Rice Salad

Don't you love it when you stumble upon a really awesome, simple recipe??

I made this wild rice salad last week and it's hands down one of my favorite rice dishes I've had. It tasted like Asian Thanksgiving. There's a small amount of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, but there's also toasted pecans and dried cranberries (I omitted the parsley, bleeeck!)

Check out the recipe below.

http://www.foodess.com/2012/09/wild-rice-salad/

wild rice salad

Author: Jennifer Hill

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 4-6

To toast pecans, spread on a cookie sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 6 minutes, shaking occasionally and watching closely.

ingredients

• 1 cup dry wild rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• Salt and pepper

instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a fine meshed sieve, and run under cold water to cool completely. Let stand in sieve for 5 minutes to fully drain.
2. In a medium bowl, combine wild rice, green onion, pecans and cranberries.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, combine oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and parsley. Pour over salad and stir well to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
4. May be made up 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until serving.

3 years ago: Duetchland Countdown

2 years ago: South American: Food

1 year ago: Bull Moose

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Winners and Losers

Sometimes you try out a new recipe and it's an instant hit, love at first bite, placed in the permanent rotation...

Other times, new recipes are in big fat FLOP, nothing comes together as planned, your hubby drenches the dish in Tabasco, Ketchup, or soy sauce to keep from tasting the real deal.

You get the picture.

So here on the Huebel Hammock, I only post recipes which we have tried and tested ourselves to hopefully save someone else the pains of a dead-end recipe. (And believe me, we have whipped up some duds). BUT, I fully recognize that my favorites may not be your favorite. I know my palate is ever evolving because pineapple, coconut, and kalamata olives have crept their way into my heart after 20+ years of loathing...

Here's a couple recent recipes we've tried and our "house verdict":

Rick Bayless Black Bean Soup
Verdict: AWESOME!! Unfortunately I didn't manage to take any pictures, but this soup was a real winner. We cut some corners by using canned black beans and using Ross's venison sausage rather than chorizo. Because you emulsify everything in a blender before serving, you really don't have to do any precise chopping, which saves a lot of time.

Chicken with Coconut Lime Peanut Sauce
Verdict: So good, we've had it 3 times in the past month. That's really saying something for us because we really don't repeat recipes all that much. This is such a hearty meal with great asian flavors. I steam lots of extra veggies and have some great leftovers for the next couple days. The last time, I also added some Soba noodles and it was delish!

Slow Cooker Chicken Pho
Verdict: I was only partially satisfied with this dish. But, I will say that the grocery is really hit or miss in Alaska and I wasn't able to find a couple key ingredients for the slow cooker chicken broth (mainly, star anise and chicken parts). However, this dish was quite satisfying on a cold winter night and was different flavors than we'd had in awhile. I would like to try another Pho recipe, I think this one can be improved upon.

Rick Bayless Mexican Paella
Verdict: It was good, but it was NOT a traditional Spanish paella and I think that's what we were wanting more of. The rice on the bottom didn't caramelize and get all crusty (trademark of a paella), but that is probably due to us cooking on a new paella pan (thanks Kelley!!).  I also have issues with mussels. There's no logic behind it, but they scare me.

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Mexican Mole

Ross made an AWESOME Rick Bayless Mexican meal last week. Chipotle style rice with three birds (chicken, quail, and cornish hen), a mole, and jicama slaw. It was a fabulous meal.

There are many different kinds of mole, and neither of us had ever made one before. It is my understanding that traditional mole always starts with a type of chile pepper and lots and lots of other ingredients (garlic, tomatoes, nuts, seeds, spices, etc). I couldn't find the exact recipe Ross used, but this one is similar. It was so delicious-- worth the effort!

The rice, Arroz Rojo in Spainish, was full of it's own flavor and stood up well next to the complex flavor of the mole.

The rice.

The mole. (ready to be smothered on the meat)

Jicima Citrus Slaw

Who would of thought to pair radishes, cilantro, jicama, oranges, cucumbers, and chile pepper??  Here's the recipe for the jicama salad. I will definitely make this one again too!

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Cajun Jambalaya

Ross likes to make jambalaya and I like to eat it. So that works out well... :) Ross uses Emeril's Cajun Jambalaya recipe, but he uses shrimp, spicy venison sausage, and duck. I like to finish it off with a little bit more cayanne pepper and some chopped green onions.

I had leftovers for lunch AND dinner the next day...I really love leftovers. We've narrowed jambalaya recipes down to this one, and I definitely think this one is the keeper. Now that Ross has "the chili" recipe and "the gumbo" recipe we like, I wonder what's next??

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An Epiphany of Sorts

Normally, risotto takes a good 45 min of constant stirring. It's a labor of love to say the least. However, in this months issue of Cook's Illustrated they test out "Almost Hands Free Risotto." I was skeptical at first, but now I'm a believer. If you love risotto, please read this recipe and try out this method!!

We tried the Saffron Risotto with Chicken and Peas. I kinda forgot to throw in the saffron until about halfway in, so the risotto had the nice golden color, but lacked some of the saffron flavor. I seem to be biased toward wild mushroom risotto, it's my favorite plain and simple. But now I need to try this hands free cook method with some mushroom risotto...

Who's that Doggy in the Window?

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