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Created by Chef Remy
Each grain of rice infused with rendered andouille fat, the holy trinity, and rich stock, cooked until tender and separate, the kind of side dish that steals the show from whatever it was meant to accompany.
Rice pilaf is an honest dish. You toast the grains in fat until they smell nutty and turn golden at the edges, then you let good stock do the rest of the work. In Louisiana, we take that simplicity and run with it. Andouille goes in first, rendering its smoky, spicy fat into the pan. That's your flavor foundation right there.
My grandmother Evangeline made rice like this every Sunday, though she called it dirty rice's respectable cousin. The technique came from her mother before her, and probably from someone before that. You build flavor in layers: render the sausage, cook the trinity in that fat until soft and sweet, toast your rice until it crackles, then pour in the stock and walk away. The rice absorbs everything.
At Lagniappe, we serve this alongside blackened redfish and smothered pork chops. It goes with everything because it was designed to go with everything. That's the bayou way. A side dish should complement without competing, but it should never be boring. This pilaf has enough character to stand alone with a fork and a cold beer on a Tuesday night.
Quantity
8 ounces
halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 medium
diced
Quantity
2
diced
Quantity
1 medium
diced
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
Quantity
1 1/2 cups
Quantity
2 teaspoons
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
2
Quantity
3 cups
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
3
sliced thin, green and white parts separated
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| andouille sausagehalved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons | 8 ounces |
| unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow oniondiced | 1 medium |
| celery stalksdiced | 2 |
| green bell pepperdiced | 1 medium |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| long-grain white rice | 1 1/2 cups |
| Cajun seasoning | 2 teaspoons |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/2 teaspoon |
| dried thyme | 1/2 teaspoon |
| bay leaves | 2 |
| chicken stock | 3 cups |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| green onionssliced thin, green and white parts separated | 3 |
| fresh parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
Set a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the andouille slices and let them cook undisturbed for three to four minutes until the bottoms develop a dark, caramelized crust. Flip and brown the other side for another two minutes. The sausage will render out a tablespoon or more of spicy, smoky fat. This is liquid gold. Remove the andouille to a plate but leave every drop of that fat in the pot.
Add the butter to the rendered fat and let it melt. Toss in the onion, celery, bell pepper, and white parts of the green onions. Season with a pinch of salt to draw out moisture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about six to eight minutes. You want them tender and sweet, not browned. The kitchen should smell like Sunday dinner.
Push the vegetables to the sides and add the garlic to the center of the pot. Let it sizzle for thirty seconds until fragrant, then stir it into the vegetables. Add the Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and dried thyme. Stir everything together and cook for one minute. You're blooming those spices in the fat, waking them up. The aroma should be deep and a little spicy.
Pour in the rice and stir to coat every grain with the seasoned fat and vegetables. Toast the rice for two to three minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains turn slightly opaque at the edges and you smell a nutty fragrance. Some grains will crackle against the pot. That's what you want. Toasting builds flavor and helps the rice stay separate instead of turning gummy.
Pour in the chicken stock all at once. It will sizzle and steam. Add the bay leaves, one teaspoon of salt, and stir everything once to distribute evenly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting your stove allows. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Do not lift that lid for eighteen minutes. The rice needs undisturbed time to absorb the liquid and steam properly.
After eighteen minutes, lift the lid and check. The liquid should be absorbed and small steam holes should dot the surface. If liquid remains, cover and cook another two to three minutes. Once done, remove from heat, scatter the reserved andouille over the top, replace the lid, and let rest for five minutes. This final rest lets the steam finish its work and the sausage warm through.
Remove the bay leaves. Using a fork, gently fluff the rice from the bottom up, folding in the andouille as you go. Each grain should be separate, glistening with flavor. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Fold in most of the parsley and green onion tops, saving some for garnish. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and scatter the remaining herbs over the top. Serve immediately while the rice is still fragrant and the andouille pieces are glossy.
1 serving (about 245g)
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