Sounds of the Season, Kitchener-Waterloo: Aaron Clyne's Dirty Rice recipe

Listeners have been asking for 'B' restaurant Executive Chef Aaron Clyne's recipe for Dirty Rice, the Cajun classic dish he and food critic Andrew Coppolino cooked up from a food bank hamper at the 2015 Sounds of the Season broadcast from TheMuseum.

• PHOTOS: CBC-KW's Sounds of the Season 2015

Dirty Rice, explained Clyne, "is a Cajun and Creole dish made from white rice that gets a dirty colour from being cooked with small pieces of chicken or sausage, green bell pepper, celery, onion and Cajun spices."

The aromatic dish, cooked for people who attended the morning Sounds of the Season broadcast, was a big hit with the crowd. It was made in under an hour with ingredients frequently found in a Waterloo Region Food Bank hamper.

"It's a stylish and simple one-pot meal that makes great use of leftover chicken or sausage," Clyne explained to Coppolino during the live broadcast.

"Also, it contains vegetables, protein and grains," he said, making it a healthier dish for the family than fast food. 

6-step recipe

Here's the recipe, as used by Coppolino and Clyne during the program.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cups of parboiled white rice (prepare in advance)
• 4 tbsp canola oil
• 4 chicken thighs (or 2 breasts) and/or 2 sausages, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 green onions, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 4-5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
• 5 tbsp Cajun seasoning mix
• 2 bay leaves
• Cayenne pepper, to suit your taste if required
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Parboil (partially cook) the rice in advance. This takes approx. 7-10 minutes. 
2. In a large pot over medium heat add oil and 1 tbsp butter. As soon as the butter melts, sear the chicken (or sausage) until it is browned.
3. Add peppers, onions, garlic and celery. Cook until they go soft. Add half the Cajun seasoning and some salt and pepper.
4. Add the parboiled rice and toast it lightly in the pot for 3-4 minutes. Then add 2 cups of the chicken stock (or vegetable stock, or water), bay leaves, the remaining Cajun spices and Cayenne pepper if you're using that. Stir it well once, then leave it. 
5. In a few minutes, when the majority of the liquid has been absorbed, add the remaining stock and continue to simmer until the rice is soft. If the rice is still too firm for your taste, add more stock. 
6. Finish by stirring in green onions (if desired), salt and pepper, and the remaining butter.