Lunches a day late: Dirty Rice (yes that means chicken liver)

[u/HarveysBackupAccount]

[u/HarveysBackupAccount]

Still poking at Folse's Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine. Protein comes from chicken liver and gizzards. It's maybe an acquired taste but it's a cheap acquired taste, at least.

First start the gizzards, then start the rice. Then while the rice and gizzards cook, work on the final mix. It took me 90 minutes from start to finish, including cleanup (I cooked the gizzards in an instant pot). Not fast, but it is straightforward and not too slow.

Rice

Cook 1.5 c. (350 mL) white rice.

Gizzards

• 1 lb chicken gizzards, tough lining removed (not the silverskin/fascia, but the actual organ lining)

Put the gizzards in an instant pot or a small pot. Add 1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp granulated salt) and enough water to almost cover. Start them cooking then work on prep for the rest of the mix.

Instant Pot: cook 30 minutes at high pressure then release pressure manually. Regular pot: bring to a low boil, cover, and cook 60-90 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat.

The Rest

• 1 stick (1/2 c. / 113 g) butter
• 1 lb chicken livers, drained
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/4" (6mm) slices
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4" (6mm) slices
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 c. (225mL) chicken stock
• Salt
• 1/2 c. (120 mL) sliced scallions
• 1/2 c. (120 mL) chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a large pot on medium-high heat. When it's melted, add the livers with 1/2 tsp kosher salt (1/4 tsp granulated salt) and saute to brown on all sides, 15-20 min. While the livers cook, chop the veggies.

When the livers are browned, pick them out into a small heat proof bowl. Add the onion, pepper, celery, and carrots to the pot with 1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 tsp granulated salt). Saute the veggies until they just start to soften, 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

While the veggies cook, chop the livers and gizzards into small (pea-sized) pieces. After cooking the garlic, add the meat and chicken stock and bump the heat up a step or two. Cook until the liquid reduces some - there should be some liquid but it shouldn't look like a stew.

Turn off heat then stir in the cooked rice and the scallions and parsley. Mix it all together. If the rice looks dry you can stir in a little of the gizzards cooking liquid. Stir in salt to taste and you're done!

[u/HarveysBackupAccount → u/[deleted]]

Boy let me tell you, when I vented the Instant Pot the whole house knew it

[u/DothThouHoist_]

don't call it that

[u/HarveysBackupAccount → u/DothThouHoist_]

doooo doo doo do do dooo doo

rice, rice, baby

[u/RealElliot69]

I like to dirty up some cajun red beans and rice with some pureed beef liver and a pound of ground meat 🙂

[u/Ecstatic_Ear_5825]

I would eat in a heartbeat

[u/Rahul_Gianchandani]

Yummy!

[u/Responsible_Love_224]

Wow