Rice and a Trinity of veggies are first sauteed in butter, then simmered in chicken stock for a wonderful rice side dish that is just as good for pork, as it is for chicken, shrimp, fish, or beef.

Cajun Rice Pilaf

This is one of my favorite ways to jazz up some plain rice for a nice side dish. I throw it all in my rice cooker and let it manage the rest, but if you don't own one yet, you can certainly low simmer this on the stovetop just as you would do regular rice. The rice is first sauteed in the pan just until it begins to lightly brown and then simmered in stock or broth as for a pilaf, but I won't tell if you just dump it all in together either. To be honest it works either way and I certainly do both depending on how lazy I'm feeling at the time. Without sauteing the veggies and rice, the texture is a bit more puffy than pictured, but it's all good!

It's a very simple but flavorful side dish which is what makes it so nice with just about any protein. You can even add protein in the rice to make this a main dish meal.  First we'll melt a bit of butter in a skillet and saute some Trinity, of course - wouldn't be Cajun without it! Add in a little bit of garlic and stir in the rice. Cook and stir the rice over medium heat until it begins to lightly brown.

Add the seasonings - including some of that fabulous Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning - and transfer to rice cooker, or a lidded saucepan if cooking on the stovetop. Stir in the stock and set timer for regular rice, or if using a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

A wonderful rice dish, full of flavor and a breeze to make. How easy is that?

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Recipe: Cajun Rice Pilaf

From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 20 min |

Yield: About 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of butter
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup of chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1-1/2 cups of long grain rice, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama),
   or to taste
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 5 turns of the pepper grinder
• 2 cups of chicken stock or broth

Instructions

Add the butter to a skillet and melt. Add the vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook and stir it over medium heat until it begins to lightly brown.  Add the seasonings and the chicken stock, set timer for the regular rice setting and cook. Fluff before serving.  Serve as a side dish.

Variation: Add everything to the rice cooker without sauteeing it, slicing cold butter on top, and give it a good stir to mix well. Set the timer for regular rice. Okay to use a variety of proteins to make this a main dish meal. Try smoked sausage, andouille sausage, diced ham, cooked chopped chicken, crumbled cooked bacon, raw shrimp, or any combination.

Stovetop: If you don't happen to own a rice cooker, you could adapt this easily to the stove top. Just prepare everything as directed, except I would suggest doubling the broth to rice ratio using 1-1/2 cups of rice to 3 cups of water. Transfer to a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

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Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com

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Posted by Mary on July 12, 2011

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