So for two days after I made the dish, my hands felt like they had a sunburn. I gave myself a first degree jalapeno burn!
Icing on the cake was that I accidentally purchased and used jasmine rice instead of basmati rice and The Man didn't like the dish because he doesn't like jasmine rice and I know that. My dish was doomed to fail from the moment I left the grocery store.
So here are my tips for making Lowcountry Red Rice. Which was very good and is one of those dishes that tastes fabulous fresh or leftover the next day.
1. wear gloves when chopping the jalapeno peppers.
2. don't get the wrong rice.
3. I don't have a third tip, but to hear how I burnt myself again just a few days later, scroll down past the recipe.
LOWCOUNTRY RED RICE
- 2 cups peeled seeded chopped tomatoes, with their juices (or substitute canned, reserving the liquid)
- 1/4 lb bacon, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
- 1 poblano peppers or 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth (or canned low sodium broth, or a combination of half chicken, half shrimp broth or bottle clam juice)
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch basil or 1 small cilantro, leaves removed
- 1/2 lemon
Directions:
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1If using fresh tomatoes, drain them in a sieve or colander set over a bowl to catch their juices; set juices aside.
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2In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is beginning to crisp; with a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
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3Return Dutch oven of drippings to the stove; add the onion, bell pepper, and celery; saute until softened, about 10 minutes (add a little oil if the bacon fat seems insufficient).
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4Add the jalapeno, poblano, tomatoes, bay leaves, and thyme to the pot; season with salt and pepper to taste; simmer for about 10 minutes, until the peppers have softened.
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5Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the broth with a scant 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato juices (discard any remaining juice) and add salt to taste.
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6Bring to a simmer; add the rice, return to a simmer, and stir a few times.
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7Decrease heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, about 16 minutes.
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8Add the rice to the vegetable mixture, along with the bacon; taste for seasonings.
Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/lowcountry-red-rice-417289#ixzz1yHygjNVP
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Then just 48 hours after my hands stopped tingling with pain, I was again in the kitchen , preparing a lovely repast. There I was taking out the perfectly roasted potatoes wearing my dollar store oven mitt and suddenly, my right hand was a mass of pain.
Did I drop the potatoes? No Ma'am, I got those on the stovetop, whipped off my mitt and plunged my hand into cold water.
Lesson here, if your hubby buys a set of oven mitts from the dollar store, don't actually USE them.
