Dirty rice

Boy, I long for the days when my son and I used to go down to the Louisiana Bayou every March. We always stayed in a cabin on Bayou Corne, near Pierre Part, LA. We would spend most everyday fishing on Bayou Corne or Grand Bayou. 

We would either eat our catch, or eat that great country style cajun cooking served at a number of great restaurants. We went down seven years in a row and were known by name in Landry’s Seafood. We had the same server all seven years there.

I remember one day we were having lunch there when my son (only ten at the time) overheard the owner of Landry's telling friends about his weekend. He said that the kids all had fun swimming in the bayou. 

My son interrupted and asked, "You let the kids swim in the bayou?" He replied, "Of course the kids swim in the bayou." My son asked, "What about the alligators?" The man replied, "Well son, if the alligator over here, swim over there. Don't swim over here." The shocked look on my son's face is one of my favorite memories.

When I feel a longing for some cajun food these days, I get to cooking. This is what I made as part of my dinner a few weeks ago.

1 cup of converted rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup chicken giblets, chopped fine

1/2 lb. ground beef

Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

Cajun seasoning

Cayenne pepper

Fresh ground white pepper

1/2 tsp. thyme

Preparation

Place the rice and chicken broth, as well as a shake or two of cajun seasoning, in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover to cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about fifteen minutes. Set aside.

Heat a large cast iron skillet or a wok, add a little olive oil, and add the ground beef and stir until it starts to cook down. Add the chicken giblets along with the thyme and stir until the meat starts to brown. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper and stir. Let that cook down until the vegetables have softened.

Add the rice and stir to mix well. Sprinkle on some cajun seasoning, some cayenne and grind on some black pepper. Stir until everything is hot and sizzling.

Serving 

How I like to serve this is to place a huge pile of dirty rice next to some broiled catfish that has been smothered in shrimp étouffée. I would also add some green beans that have been simmered in chicken broth with lots of bacon. 

Instead of regular yeast bread, I would serve jalapeño and honey cornbread. Since we’re on a cajun theme, I’d skip the wine and serve several rounds of ice cold beer. “Dat good you know!”