Red Gravy and Rice

Yield: 6 side servings / 3 entrees

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Gravy

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

¼ of a cup of minced onion

¼ of a cup minced celery

¼ of a cup of minced green bell pepper

½ of a Cayenne pepper, minced or ¼ teaspoon dried cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic (approximately 2 toes)

1 cup of diced vine-ripened tomato

½ teaspoon of Cajun Blend (below)

½ of a teaspoon thyme

 

 

Roux
3 Tablespoons of rendered grapeseed oil or oil

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup of vegetable stock, warmed in a saucepan

1 cup of tomato sauce (8 ounces)

4 tablespoons tomato paste (2 ounces)

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

 

 

 

3 cups hot cooked brown or white rice

 

 

Garnish:

Fresh parsley, snipped
Fresh thyme, leaves only

 

 

Enhancements for Entrees:
Boiled or sauted shrimp
Cubes of poached chicken breast
Andouille sausage, cut in bite-sized pieces
Bacon lardons, fried to tender crisp
Poached or fried egg

Ham cubes

 

 

On the Side:
Hot sauce

 

 

Preparation:

 

Prepare the gravy the day before and allow the flavors to meld overnight in the icebox. Simply heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, before plating

 

Heat a stainless steel skillet (this recipe contains tomatoes, so do not use a cast iron skillet as the gravy will have a metallic taste (“tinny”)) over medium heat.

 

When hot, add 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil. Swirl in the pan to coat the bottom of the skillet.

 

When the oil is hot, add onions and celery. Saute until tender.

 

Add green pepper and tomatoes, and cayenne pepper. Saute until green pepper is tender crisp.

 

Add Cajun seasoning and thyme. Saute until the herbs and spices bloom (become fragrant).

 

Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon, allowing any liquids to drain back into the skillet. Reserve the solids in a bowl on the side.

 

Heat the grapeseed oil to shimmering and sift flour through a fine sieve over the top. Whisk until the flour becomes a golden-brown. Do not brown or burn. (2-3 minutes).

 

Drizzle warm vegetable stock into the roux, whisking constantly as it thickens.

 

Stir together the tomato sauce and tomato paste.

 

Add to the thickened vegetable stock and stir until thick, smooth and hot. If necessary the gravy can be thinned by adding more vegetable stock.

 

Add vegetables and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until hot.

 

Taste. Be careful, the “heat” is not an immediate sensation. It sneaks up from behind. Adjust heat with dried cayenne pepper by the pinch or allow guests to individually adjust the “heat” with hot pepper sauce.

 

Serve over cooked rice. If adding enhancements, warm then and place them on top of the rice before pouring the gravy over it.

 

Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme leaves and serve with a hot sauce on the side.