Low Country Red Rice

My twist on a classic low country dish…

Yield: 3-4 servings

PREP IT!

14.5 ounces (1 can) Tomatoes, diced, fire roasted, blended until smooth
6 slices Bacon, thick cut, diced into small chunks or 1 tablespoon Vegetable bouillon paste (for plant based option)
8 ounces Smoked Andouille pork sausage, diced into small chunks or Vegan sausage (for plant based option)
¼ cup Oil, peanut
¼ cup Butter, salted or Vegan butter (for plant based option)
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
3 cloves Garlic, fresh, minced
1 small Yellow onion, fresh, diced small
1 small Green bell pepper, fresh, diced small
1 stalks Celery, fresh, diced small
2 sprigs Green onion, sliced
1 sprig (½ teaspoon) Rosemary, fresh, chopped
1 small Habanero pepper, diced small (optional)
1 tablespoon Taste Tutor Smoked 101
2 teaspoons Taste Tutor Gullah Seasoning
1 cups Chicken or Vegetable broth
2 cups Rice, parboiled or Carolina Gold, washed
¼ cup Parsley, fresh, diced

MAKE IT!

In a blender, add canned dice fire roasted tomatoes. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat grill or open flame with charcoal and/or hickory wood chips. In a stainless-steel pot, heavy bottom pot, or aluminum baking pan, over flame/heated coals, cook bacon and brown sausage until fat is rendered and bacon bits are slightly crispy. Remove bacon and sausage from heat and set aside.
Add peanut oil and butter. Heat on high heat until butter begins to brown.
Sauté garlic, onion, green bell pepper, celery, green onion, rosemary, and habanero (if using) until onions are translucent. Then fry tomato paste 3½ minutes until dark and oil comes to the top. Add vegetable bouillon paste now if you’re making the plant based option.
Add Taste Tutor Smoked 101, and Taste Tutor Gullah Seasoning. Fry until seasonings begin to toast.
Add blended diced tomatoes and broth. Cook 5-10 minutes, until sauce begins to boil.
Add washed rice, and cooked meats to tomato sauce. Cover with foil and/or lid to seal in steam. Cover grill with lid.
Cook for 20 to 30 minutes until rice is softened.
Once rice is cooked, add in parsley. Turn off heat.
Enjoy!

Tip: Instead of using an open flame/grill, the rice can be prepared on the stove top.

How to Cook Rice: To cook rice, use a rice cooker or in a medium pot, bring rice and liquid to a boil. Once boiling turn heat down to low. Cover pot with foil and lid to trap the steam in. Allow rice to steam for 20 -30 minutes until rice is tender. Do not stir rice until it has finished steaming. Keeping the heat on low will prevent rice on the bottom from burning while cooking. But honestly, if you do accidentally burn the some of the rice, who doesn’t love the burnt bottom part of the rice pot anyway… flavor!

Reheat leftovers: in the oven or in the microwave.

LOW COUNTRY RED RICE