How to prepare Charleston Red Rice

Charleston Red Rice

TIME : About 1¼ hours

This traditional tomato and rice dish is also known as Carolina red rice or just red rice. It is a Lowcountry favorite and possibly descended from West African jollof rice. It frequently incorporates sausage, but this recipe, which was modeled after the way Millie Bell, the mother of the chef Millie Peartree, used to prepare it, uses bacon to give it depth. (However, if you want to add sausage, simply let it sear in Step 3 with the vegetables.) First, the "holy trinity" of celery, bell pepper, and onion are sautéed in bacon grease to flavor the cooking liquid. The rice is then roasted to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked. For a filling, fulfilling meal, serve this with baked chicken or ham, green beans, or collard greens.

INGREDIENTS

Yield:

8 servings

Nonstick cooking spray

6bacon slices

1medium Vidalia or other sweet, Spanish or yellow onion, chopped

2celery ribs, chopped

1large green bell pepper, chopped

1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

2garlic cloves, minced

2cups long-grain or Carolina gold rice, rinsed until water runs clear

1(14-ounce) can tomato purée

1½cups chicken stock or water, plus more as needed

1tablespoon hot sauce

1teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1teaspoon granulated sugar

½teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of ground cayenne

Parsley leaves, for garnish

PREPARATION

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

In a large (12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving behind drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Step 3

In the same skillet, add the chopped onion, celery, bell pepper and 1 teaspoon salt, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, another 30 seconds.

Step 4

To the skillet, add the rinsed rice. Stir and toast the rice for 30 seconds. Add the crumbled bacon, tomato purée, stock, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, sugar, pepper and cayenne.

Step 5

Bring the rice and vegetables to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt, if needed.

Step 6

Carefully transfer ingredients to the greased baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil, and bake until the rice is tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Check the rice after about 30 minutes to make sure all the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender. (If it's too dry or not cooked all the way through, add a few tablespoons of water or stock at a time, if necessary, and cook a little longer.) Fluff with a fork before serving and garnish with parsley leaves.