During a recent lazy weekend, we were getting a meal ready to eat in front of the television to watch a basketball game. As is often the case, Joey and I decided to share duties in the kitchen to get our meal prepared. Joey was going to cook a rack of ribs, and I told him I’d take care of the side.
He was making some Cajun ribs, so I decided a nice side of Cajun rice would be perfect, already tasting the sweet red peppers and warm seasoning in my mouth.
Except he wasn’t making Cajun ribs. He was making chipotle ribs.
I have no doubt that he told me the right flavor profile. In fact, I’m sure he told me exactly what he had planned, and I think my brain just filled in what it really wanted to hear.
So, this week I’m sharing a recipe for some Cajun rice with you, despite us not eating anything else even remotely Louisiana-related with it.
This comes from the blog “The Mountain Kitchen” by David and Debbie Spivey. You can find their original post at https://www.themountainkitchen.com/easy-cajun-rice/. I changed up the amounts of some items in my version.
Cajun Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice cooked to package directions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the peppers and saute until they reach your desired tenderness.
- Add the garlic and saute until it just starts to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and let cook for about one more minute.
- Add in the rice, lemon juice and seasonings, stirring to combine everything and making sure the rice is heated through. Serve.
On the plus side, I can tell you from experience that this rice does, indeed, pair well with chipotle-seasoned meats, so if you want an adventure, go for it.
Also, if you want to make this a meal by itself, season some peeled shrimp with some of your Cajun seasoning and saute it in a little butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add it to the rice, and it’s a great meal.
I’m glad I have an understanding husband who just rolled his eyes at me and dished up a large scoop of rice alongside his ribs.
I suppose if you’re going to be a bad listener, the least you can do is apologize with something delicious.
This piece first appeared in print on Jan. 16, 2020.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
