My version, Anglicized, freshened up (real garlic instead of garlic powder) and cooked differently, of Paul Prudhomme’s “Basic Rice” in Louisiana Kitchen . This is a very necessary accompaniment to Shrimp Etouffée. I like to mould it in ramekins lined with cling film and make a neat mound of rice surrounded by the Shrimp Etouffée.
Planning
| serves: | 4 |
| preparation time: | 10 mins |
| cooking time: | 15 mins |
Ingredients
- 8 oz long grain rice, washed to remove starch
- 16 fl oz stock (seafood if accompanying shrimps)
- 1 tbs onion, very finely chopped
- 1 tbs celery, very finely chopped
- 1 tbs green pepper, very finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
- pinch cayenne pepper
- pinch black pepper
- salt
- 1 tbs butter
Method
Bring the stock to the boil in a small/medium pan and add all the ingredients except the butter. Bring the rice back to the boil and simmer very gently until the rice is cooked. (Take care not to burn it – add a little more stock if necessary.) Gently stir in the butter trying not to break the grains.
[Depending on the rice, all or most of the liquid should have been absorbed. If not, leave it to stand while cooling and it see if that absorbs it. As a last resort, drain it and adjust the liquid for next time.]
If you’re feeling fancy, line four ramekins with cling film and pack them (not too firmly) with rice. Fold the excess cling film over the top. The ramekins can be prepared ahead of time and very successfully reheated in “the dreaded microwave” when required. To serve, use kitchen scissors to snip off the covering cling film, invert a plate over the top of each ramekin and flip both right side up. The moulded rice should release cleanly onto the plate with no more than a gentle tap.
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