Dirty, Dirty Rice

Believe it or not, the first place I ever had dirty rice was at Popeyes®. They were out of the red beans and rice. I'd never been a huge fan of liver before, but not only have I come to love dirty rice, I've also started to crave it with even more "dirt," i.e. more liver, pork, and aromatic vegetables, hence this redundantly named dish. While the traditional method cooks the rice first before "soiling" it, here we add all the "filth" at the beginning and cook it into the rice.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 356 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• ¼ cup sliced green onions
• ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 6 ounces boneless pork shoulder, diced
• 1 andouille sausage, diced, or to taste
• 8 ounces chicken livers, minced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a high-sided pan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir pork until well browned and fat is rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables continue to soften, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Reduce heat to medium and add andouille sausage. Cook and stir to release some flavor, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chicken livers and rice until well coated. Season with salt, pour in broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce. Cover tightly; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, without stirring, until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is starting to get tender, about 25 minutes.

Step 3

Add green onions and parsley; mix well. Continue cooking over low to medium-low heat until rice is tender, about 10 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and remove bay leaf before serving.