Gluten Free Mexican Pilaf w/ Broiled Halibut!

February is here! I hope Cincinnati will finally get some winter weather! Its been in the high 50s lately! Where’s the snow?!

Since its unseasonably warm, I was inspired to “travel” to Mexico with my delicious Mexican Wild Rice Pilaf. This was DELISH. My parents gave it 2 enthusiastic thumbs up!

yummo!

I cooked one box of wild rice in vegetable stock. Be warned…wild rice takes a long time to cook, but it is SO worth the wait. It has a crunchy texture and nutty, earthy flavor that you just can’t get from any other rice. And, its black color brings dramatic beauty to any dish.

While the rice was cooking, I combined in a bowl:

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced

1/4-1/2 red onion, diced

1 tomato, seeded and diced

2 garlic cloves, grated

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime

bunch of cilantro, chopped

salt

I let those flavors marry and hang out.

Also, cube 1 avocado (drizzle with lime juice and salt), and slice kalamata olives and set aside.

Once the rice cooked and the liquid was evaporated, I combined the “salsa” with the rice and put the lid on so that the raw vegetables would steam while I prepared the fish.

I put 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro on the fish and put it under the broiler for about 8-10 minutes.

flaky, zesty halibut

I plated the wild rice pilaf with the cubed avocado and olives, and stuck a few brown rice chips in there just for fun:)

This meal was so satisfying. The halibut’s texture was so buttery and flakey. It almost melted in your mouth. So utterly delicious.

We will definitely be making this meal again!

With a meal that involves a bit of slicing and dicing, it always reminds me of the importance of a good knife.  They say that the most dangerous tool in the kitchen is a dull knife, and that is so true. A good knife is crucial if you're going to be doing any cooking. A good knife is a bit of an investment, but is totally worth it. And you don't need to buy a whole set of knives. I suggest just a good chef's knife and a pairing knife. Here's the one I use: