This Carolina Red Rice with Shrimp and Bacon is comfort food, pure and simple.
Carolina Red Rice with Shrimp and Bacon
Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1⁄2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1⁄2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1⁄2 cup chopped celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups Fresh Tomato Sauce
- 1 1⁄2 cups Carolina Gold or basmati rice
- 1 1⁄4 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
- Garnish: fresh thyme, chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium cast-iron Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan; let drain on paper towels. Increase heat to medium-high; add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, approximately 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute.
- Add 2 cups Fresh Tomato Sauce, rice, 1 cup broth, thyme, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and bay leaves to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until rice is almost tender, approximately 20 minutes.
- Gently stir in shrimp, tomato, and remaining 1⁄4 cup broth, if needed. Cover, and cook until shrimp are pink and firm, approximately 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves, and discard. Crumble bacon, and sprinkle over shrimp mixture. Garnish with thyme and parsley, if desired. Serve with lemon wedges.