This recipe has been part of my culinary DNA for decades. It started life as Mum’s interpretation of a ‘back of the 1970s lifestyle magazine’ casserole and honestly hasn’t changed much since. It’s an easy way to fill a big pan to feed a crowd which is its main objective but you get delicious in the bargain.
While you might be tempted to call forth Cajun or Creole inspiration in the vein of dirty rice, jambalaya, or etoufee it’s simply not from those roots. It has none of the roux, spicing, or (frequent) livers, seafood, and cured sausages of that stable of dishes. It does however start in the sofrito-esqe trilogy of bell pepper, onion, and celery the residents of Louisiana are so fond of but the comparisons stop there. Particularly once I start lumping in heaps of garlic. After that the sky’s the limit depending on what sort of sausage you have in the house as long as you remember the 2:1 *volume* ratio of liquid (stock) to uncooked rice.
A wide, shallow pan like a brasier is idea here to facilitate cooking rice via the absorption method. Adjust to fit the size pan you have but in my case it’s made in the same lidded 3.3 litre/3.5 quart cast iron version every time. Many, many times.
One-pan Sausage & Rice Casserole
450g uncooked sausage, any style (e.g. American breakfast, chorizo, etc.)
2 + 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
800ml stock, any variety *
2 medium yellow or white onions, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 large ribs celery, with leaves if possible, coarsely chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 – 2 teaspoons freshly ground black peppercorn to preference
1 teaspoon red chile flake, any heat level (optional)
1 -2 tablespoons fine sea salt, adjusted depending on stock and sausage used
300g uncooked long grain white rice (unrinsed to preserve starch) *
* Use a two-to-one *volume* ratio of stock to rice (plus a bit more stock for deglazing the pan).
Preheat oven to 175c/350f.
In a large, wide pan, add the sausage and two tablespoons oil to prevent initial scorching. Brown the sausage but avoid overcooking. For sausages in casings, the outsides should brown but the inside will not be completely cooked. Remove, dice as needed, and reserve with any resting juices.
In the same pan, deglaze with 50ml stock then immediately add all the vegetables. Saute briefly, 3-5 minutes but again do not overcook. Clear a space in the middle of the pan to add the remaining two tablespoons oil followed by the dry spices. Cook until fragrant, just a few seconds, then mix well into the vegetables. Again clear a space in the centre and add the uncooked rice. Stir very well to coat the rice in the residual oil in the pan toasting slightly and scraping the bottom of the pan often. If necessary, add spoonfuls of stock to prevent scorching.
Add the remainder of the stock, taste and adjust seasoning, then cover and bring to a low boil for two minutes. Remove the lid and stir a final time before recovering and moving to the oven for 20-30 minutes until all the liquid has JUST been absorbed. Do not over-bake to completely dry. Because of varying pans, lids, and rice varieties, additional small amounts of stock can be added towards the end of baking if the rice seems slightly undercooked. Rice is tricky that way sometimes but you’ll soon dial in the parameters of your specific equipment and ingredients.
Always make a full pan because it reheats perfectly and only gets better over the next day or two.
– msh v.4.2
