Cajun Dirty Rice
The "dirty" look comes from a combination of sausage fat, Cajun seasoning and chopped chicken livers. But unsanitary, Cajun dirty rice is not. It is tasty as sin.
Ingredients
Cajun spice mix
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder chili powder may be substituted
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 3 teaspoons sea salt or 1 ½ teaspoons refined salt
To cook the dirty rice
- 250 grams andouille (see notes after the recipe)
- ⅓ cup celery roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup carrot roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup onion roughly chopped
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup bell peppers roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup sweet peas
- 250 grams chicken livers cooked, seasoned and chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter optional
- 2 to 3 cups cooked white rice
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Instructions
- Stir together all the ingredients for Cajun seasoning. Transfer into a tightly covered jar and set aside.
- Cut the andouille into one-inch slices.
- Throw the sausage slices in a hot frying pan and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through and browned, and a generous amount of fat has been rendered.
- Add the chopped celery, carrot and onion. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion bits start to turn translucent.
- Add the chopped bell pepper and sweet peas. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two.
- The chopped chicken livers go in next. Throw them in and stir. The chopped liver will soak up the oil; if the mixture appears too dry, you have the option of adding more oil. I prefer butter.
- Time to add the rice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper after adding the rice to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the rice is heated through and the coloring looks even.
- Taste, add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve the Cajun dirty rice immediately.
Notes
Andouille, a smoked sausage from France which found its way to the American South, gives dirty rice wonderful flavor, aroma and color.
When the chicken liver bits have fried in the oil, they will darken.
Excess Cajun seasoning can be stored in a tightly covered jar. Use within two weeks.
Updated from a recipe originally published in June 27, 2014
Updated from a recipe originally published in June 27, 2014
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