Spicy Sausage and Rice

Yes, more rice!

I made a huge batch recently, and I am slowly using it all up, making delicious, impulsive dinners like this one. In fact, this dish turned out so good (and was so, so easy), that I just had to share it.

Since I don’t routinely stock chicken giblets (unlike my maternal grandmother!), I had to improvise on this dirty rice-inspired, Cajun-spiced stir-fry. You can use whatever sausage you like and have on hand; since I was in the mood for a spicy dinner, I used Meyer’s Elgin Sausage Jalapeño Summer Sausage. Don’t scoff – it was 86° here in Austin today.

So, here it is. Try it!

Spicy Sausage and Rice
olive oil
1 Tbsp bacon fat
2-3 cooked sausage links, sliced and chopped into quarters
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
splash of red wine (optional)
~3 cups cooked white rice
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Stella’s Cajun Spice Mix
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed between your fingertips
1 Tbsp Gebhardt Chili Powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric

1. In a large skillet, warm the about 1 Tbsp olive oil and the bacon fat, until the latter has melted. Stir together with your spatula, and add onions and chopped sausage. Cook for about three minutes, until onions are fragrant and translucent. De-glaze with a splash of red wine.

2. Add the rice and soy sauce. Stir thoroughly. Drizzle in a little more olive oil (about a tablespoon) and the spice mix. Turn the rice over carefully in the skillet, until all ingredients are nicely mixed and the spices evenly coat the rice.

3. Cook for a further three to five minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon out into bowls and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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I made a Spanish omelette

This was the last thing I made before I became vegan in February 2007.

Our September of potatoes has now turned into a whole season of potato dishes at Casa Stella, and we also go through about 16 eggs a week from Alexander Family Farm. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought to make a tortilla española! Of course, I started it off the right way: with bacon fat.

Making this was a joy. What’s not to love about fried potatoes, onions, and eggs?!

Of course, I overcooked it a little, but it was delicious!

Eric enjoyed his serving topped with homemade pico de gallo.

I’m not even going to post a recipe, because there are “about 483,000” already on the web. However, you should definitely make one. It’s cheap and simple and great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. It’s tasty with ketchup or salsa or on its own. It’s a main and a side. It’s fun to make and makes great leftovers.

Now that I’m thinking about how good this was, I think I’ll make another one this weekend!