Chicken Chile Relleno Ramen

This is my entry for 50 Campfire's Hack the Pack Contest

The challenge is to make your best camping dish using Top Ramen and there are a load of awesome camping cooking tools up for grabs. It's no surprise that I went with a Tex-Mex spin, and I think the result was even better than I expected!

Chicken Chile Relleno Ramen

1 Tablespoon butter

1 large poblano pepper, sliced into strips

½ of a yellow onion, sliced

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup jarred salsa verde

1 pack Nissin Top Ramen chicken flavor

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

Melt the butter in a sauce pan or small Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the poblano and onion strips and sauté for 7-10 minutes, or until tender.

Add the water and salsa, and bring to a boil.

Add Top Ramen noodles and seasoning packet, and cook using the package instructions.

Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the cheese, sour cream and chicken until the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Jalapeño Cod Hush Puppies with Cilantro Chimichurri

My second entry for the Saltfish Recipe Blogger Challenge puts a Southwest spin on a Southern favorite! Once it was flaked, the salt cod reminded me a little of crabmeat which I knew would be delicious in a sweet corn batter. These hush puppies get a kick from jalapeno and a bright cilantro chimichurri sauce to make them irresistible!

Jalapeño Cod Hush Puppies with Cilantro Chimichurri
Hush Puppies:
8 ounces Cristobal salt cod fish filets
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
½ cup sliced green onion

Cilantro Chimichurri:1 1/2 cups packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1 small clove garlic
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin

6 cups canola oil for frying

Place the salt cod filets in a bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 8 hours, draining the water and replacing it with fresh water every 2 hours. After 8 hours, rinse the cod in cold water, pat dry and cut into 3-inch sections.

Place the cod into a large sauce pot and cover with cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the cod flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg. Make a well in the dry ingredients and begin to gently stir in the buttermilk mixture. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the cod, jalapeno and green onion until just mixed.

Place the cilantro, parsley, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and cumin in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a small dip bowl for serving.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or electric fryer to 350 degrees over medium-high heat. Working in batches, using a small cookie scoop, carefully spoon about 1 Tablespoon of the batter into the hot oil. Fry until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet.

Serve immediately with the chimichurri sauce.

Makes 32 hush puppies

You can find Cristobal salt cod fish filets at: Brookshire Brothers, HEB, Fiesta, Food Town, H Mart, Kroger and Los Altos Ranch Market

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Cajun Cod Fish Cake Sliders with Mardi-Gras Slaw

I am so excited to share my entry for the Blogger Saltfish Recipe Challenge! I'm always excited to try new ingredients and saltfish is something I've never worked with before. When I was younger, I remember my grandpa making Cod Fish Cakes during Lent on Fridays. He always used canned cod (similar to canned tuna), mixed it with mashed potatoes and fried them to a crispy golden brown. I loved them as a kid and probably haven't had one in over 20 years. I knew I wanted to try that same method with the salt cod and modernize it and what I settled on I think you'll really love! Cajun blackening spices jazz up these crispy Cajun Cod Cakes and I made a quick and easy remoulade sauce to go with it. The purple, green and gold Mardi Gras Slaw is colorful and crunchy and, let's be honest here, who doesn't love sweet Hawaiian style rolls? It's a delicious pairing that I hope you enjoy!

Cajun Cod Fish Cake Sliders with Mardi-Gras Slaw
Cod Fish Cakes:

1 pound Cristobal salt cod fish filets

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 Tablespoon Cajun blackening seasoning

¼ cup minced shallot

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mardi-Gras Slaw:

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup sliced green onion

2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper 

Remoulade Sauce:

2 tsp Louisiana style hot sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/4 cup Creole style whole grain mustard

1/2 cup ketchup 

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

15 Sweet Hawaiian style slider rolls, lightly toasted 

Place the salt cod filets in a bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 8 hours, draining the water and replacing it with fresh water every 2 hours. After 8 hours, rinse the cod in cold water, pat dry and cut into 3-inch sections.

Place the cod and potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the cod flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled cod and potato mixture, Cajun blackening seasoning and minced shallot and roughly mash with a potato masher. Stir in the eggs until the mixture is evenly combined. Using a cookie scoop, make 15 equal portions, and gently press them in the panko, flattening slightly, creating mini patties. Place the cakes in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the red cabbage, yellow bell pepper, green onion, parsley, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Chill until ready to use.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the hot sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and lemon juice. Chill until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the cod cakes in batches until golden and crispy on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

To assemble the sliders, spread a thin layer of the sauce on each side of the toasted slider rolls, place a small scoop of slaw on the bottom half of each roll, top with a cod fish cake and the top half of the buns. Serve immediately.

You can find Cristobal salt cod fish filets at: Brookshire Brothers, HEB, Fiesta, Food Town, H Mart, Kroger and Los Altos Ranch Market

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