Servings: 8 people
Calories: 385kcal
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1 ½ cups Long grain rice - Carolina Gold Rice or Jasmine Rice
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 4 slices Thick cut bacon diced
- 3 Andouille sausage links diced
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium Yellow onion diced
- 1 cup tri-color peppers diced
- 2 Celery stalks diced
- 6 oz. Tomato paste
- 8 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ cup Haitian Epis Seasoning Base
- 1 tablespoon Hot Sauce
- 2 ½ cups Chicken Stock
- 2 Bay leaves
- 3 Fresh Thyme sprigs
Spice Seasoning Mix
- ½ teaspoon Dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Allspice
Instructions
Make The Spice Seasoning Mix
- Place all the spices in a small mixing bowl or ramekin and mix well. Set aside
Prepare the Rice
- Rinse the rice in your sink until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
Cook the Rice
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add oil to large saucepan or cast-iron skillet and fry the bacon on low heat. Cook stirring often until bacon crisps about 5 minutes and the fat renders
- Increase heat to medium heat. Add the andouille sausage and cook another 3-4 minutes. Remove both the bacon and sausage and set aside on a paper towel lined bowl or plate.
- Add onions and celery to the skillet and cook 5 minutes.
- Add the peppers, garlic, and a quarter of the spice mix and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomato paste and half the remaining spices and cook stirring frequently for about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir until coated well by the tomato paste mixture. 3-4 minutes
- Add the Haitian Epis, crushed tomatoes, and hot sauce. Mix well. Turn off the heat and add bacon plus sausage back. Then add the chicken stock, fresh thyme, and bay leaves. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid or with aluminum foil and bake 25-30 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven from and let rest covered for about 5 minutes
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve garnished with green onions and fresh parsley.
Notes
- The key to great red rice is that rich tomato flavor that comes from the tomato paste mixture. I like to use paste plus crushed tomatoes. The paste provides depth to the dish, while the crushed tomatoes is more of that tomato flavor. Both contribute to that deep red color of the rice.
- Epis is a Haitian addition. It is what gives this dish its character and makes it stand out vs. other red rice recipes. It's not a popular ingredient but it's worth it to add it as it elevates this dish quite a bit. I use it on everything from vegetables like green beans to soups/stews.
- Use a good quality smoked bacon as well as andouille sausage. Smoky bacon is a major flavor bomb while the best andouille is well-seasoned and super flavorful.
- If you have the time, make your own chicken stock to use as the main cooking liquid. This allows you to control salt levels and provide a cleaner more natural taste. If you go the store-bought route, then choose a low-sodium version. Store versions contain a lot of salt so be careful.
- Many recipes call for cajun seasoning, but I prefer to use my own spice blend which is based on smoked sweet paprika. Don't worry about adding hot spices like cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. The hot sauce will add more than enough heat depending on how much you add.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1265mg | Potassium: 868mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1591IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 3mg
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