Dirty Rice

by Lizzy W   |   October 22, 2013   |   Leave a Comment

I am one of those people that connect emotions and memories with my food, and this meal just makes me so happy.  I remember growing up and watching my babysitter, more like my second mom, make this for me and it was impossible not to feel the love and devotion she put into food.   This dirty rice recipe is exactly that – I can make this any time and it just reminds me of being a kid in my mom’s house, without a care in the world.

Here is my biggest tip… DO NOT use a nonstick pan!!!  You want the meat and rice to stick a little on the bottom of the pot as it cooks… this is what creates that deeper flavor, allows you to deglaze the pan, and makes the dish that much more amazing!  I use my wonderful Mauviel Copper pot, and I seriously have an emotional attachment to it.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of butter
1 ½ lb ground beef
1 cup or so of water
2 cups or so of beef broth
1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 ½ cups of white rice (I like to use Texamati)

Seasonings (red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, natures seasons seasoning blend)

Directions:

• While your pot is heating up, chop up onions and garlic.  Put a tablespoon of butter in a preheated pan and then throw in your onions and garlic. They only need about two minutes to simmer then toss in the ground beef.  Stir the mixture on medium to high heat until the meat is about cooked.
• Pour the rice into the pot and stir.  Once the rice begins to stick, start to add beef broth, about a cup at a time.  I cook this kind of like a risotto… I let it sit for a couple minutes and I continually add liquid and scrape up the bottom of the pan as I do it.
• While the rice is cooking add your seasonings listed above. Here is the part where I am going to be a little vague with you – TASTE AS YOU GO! I add a good few dashes of natures seasoning, about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, probably about a tablespoon of creole seasoning, a teaspoon of onion and garlic powder, and I really use the parsley flakes to add color.
• Once the rice is cooked, plate it, add a few more dashes of parsley flakes, and enjoy!!!!