Talk to me about dirty rice. I've found a recipe I want to try for the guys at work,

[Arkansas Granny]

but I don't know what to serve with it. Would pinto beans be a good side dish? It has to be something simple because I'm cooking at work.

[cbayer]

1. I love this stuff!

If you make it extra hearty, you don't need to serve much with it.

If you want it more as a side, you can serve it with baked or fried chicken or other meats (turkey).

Unlike red beans and rice, dirty rice is not generally served with anything else on top of it. It's more like a jambalaya.

Enjoy!!

:hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

2. I was thinking about the dirty rice as the main dish. I could always drag

out that black skillet and make some cornbread to go with it.

[cbayer]

3. Cornbread would be great. If the dirty rice is good and meaty, that might be enough.

Yum!! I can almost taste it.

[Coyote_Bandit]

4. I love cajun and creole food and eat it often

Dirty rice already has starch and protein. If I were serving it I'd add a side dish - maybe some cooked greens, or cooked/fried cabbage, or a green salad or some wilted spinach salad or some fried okra or a tomato/okra/corn salad or some grilled/fried yellow squash or some fried green tomatoes. I might be tempted to finish it off with some bread pudding.

[Arkansas Granny]

6. Those are all great suggestions. I think for tomorrow I'm going to go with

cornbread. If the recipe I'm using turns out and I fix it for the family, I'll probably use one of these as a side.

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. I can make a meal out of dirty rice alone

and cornbread is a staple in this house. Sounds really good to me.

This thread has made me crave some dirty rice. Probably gonna have to fix some here soon.

[grasswire]

5. with chicken livers in it?

I don't eat liver, but I know that dirty rice is delicious. I might serve it with a slaw that you could make ahead of time. Or how about one of those layered overnight salads? You know, lettuce, peas, bacon, water chestnuts etc.?

[Arkansas Granny]

7. The recipes I've found say that chicken liver is the traditional ingredient

that makes the rice dirty and I love chicken liver. I'm also going to add some smoked sausage to it. I've never made this before, so wish me luck.

[Phentex]

8. What's your recipe? Years ago I had a good one...

I think it was from my sister, handwritten on a scrap of paper and before I organized my recipes...all I remember was it had diced tomatoes, bulk or smoked sausage and Worcestershire along with other ingredients. I prepared it as a main dish and it was SO good. Then I lost the recipe and I have not found anything like it yet.

It wasn't soupy, spicy or too full of stuff but the flavor was just right. I've googled and I see things with bell pepper or basil and I know it didn't have that sort of flavor. Could be lost forever.

My sister? She has zero recollection of the recipe, lol! :)

[Arkansas Granny]

9. I'm pulling ingredients from about 3 different recipes that I found on line.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/dirty_rice/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/dirty-rice-recipe/index.html

http://www.recipesecrets.net/forums/recipe-exchange/30710-pappadeaux-dirty-rice.html

I've never made Dirty Rice before so I'm experimenting. I generally use a recipe as a general guideline for a dish and substitute ingredients to include the tastes I like or to use what I have on hand.

[grasswire]

11. well, bell pepper is a very traditional cajun or creole seasoning

part of what is called the "trinity" of that culture's cooking: bell pepper, onion and celery, all diced.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see it in any dirty rice recipe.

[Phentex]

12. it's in most of the googled versions...

I don't remember using it but maybe it was because I didn't have any? :shrug:

I think I would like many of the versions I've found online. I'll just have to go for it.

[Arkansas Granny]

13. The Dirty Rice turned out pretty good. I got compliments from everyone

who ate some. I used chicken liver and smoked sausage for the meats and served it with cornbread. It made a tasty lunch.

[cbayer]

14. Congratulations! Sounds great.

:toast:

[yellerpup]

15. I'd have that for lunch any day!

Glad it turned out well for you. :hi: