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Gullah Dirty Rice
6
servings
Main
Course
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
5 c
unsalted chicken or vegetable stock
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½ c
chicken gizzards
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3 tbsp
unsalted butter
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1 c
chicken livers, washed until the water runs clear and patted dry
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Salt and pepper
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2 tbsp
olive oil
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2 c
Carolina long-grain rice
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1 sm
onion, finely chopped
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1
garlic clove, minced
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1 tsp
sweet paprika
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½ tsp
cayenne pepper
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½ c
chopped green onions
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2 tsp
Tabasco sauce
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2 tbsp
minced fresh parsley
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This is a relatively simple dish inspired by red river rice or Louisiana’s jambalaya. Not unlike dirty rice from the Cajun culture, Gullah rice is a catchall rice, a way to create a one-dish meal full of flavor.

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Add the gizzards. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
  2. Drain the gizzards, then chop them.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the livers with salt and black pepper and add them to the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned outside and still pink in the centers, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes. Chop the livers.
  4. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the rice, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the rice is toasted and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, cayenne, green onions, Tabasco, parsley, gizzards, liver, the remaining 4 cups stock, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and black pepper.
  5. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
  6. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Excerpted MEALS, MUSIC, AND MUSES: Recipes From My African American Kitchen by Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers. Copyright © 2020 by Alexander Smalls. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Photography by Beatriz da Costa.