Spicy Sausage Rice

Calling for sausage and rice, done in a single pot, and it's quick? There's no reason not to try this one.

Spicy Sausage Rice
adapted from Channel 4, which had it at one time but doesn't anymore, so here's a video
click to print

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 c long-grain rice
187 mL white wine
2 c chicken stock
4 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
small bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat.


Add the onions and cook 5 minutes until soft but not browned.

My onions got a little brown in those 5 minutes.

Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.


Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until just browned.


Add the smoked paprika and mix. Season to taste.


Add the rice and stir well to mix thoroughly and absorb the flavor.


Deglaze the pan by pouring in the white wine and scraping any bits stuck to the bottom.


Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10–20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid almost entirely absorbed.

13 minutes after the stock was added, it was almost entirely absorbed and the rice was tender.

Remove from heat, gently fold in the spring onions, tomato and parsley and serve.



I really liked the flavors - the smoky paprika and spicy sausage are great. The tomatoes, scallions, and parsley folded in after cooking really make it so fresh tasting. Odd is how the parsley flavor is added here as a real flavor rather than a garnish or essence. I mean, parsley actually tastes good.

The only criticism I have it that the recipe originally called for a single tablespoon of oil. Maybe my onion was huge but there wasn't enough oil to soften the onions without browning. Or maybe I had poopy technique, such as the flame was just too high. Watching the video, it sure seems like Ramsay put in much more than one tablespoon! Really though, that's pretty nit-picky.

I'm not sure if it should be impressive or depressing that Gordon Ramsay cooks food like this. It tastes good, is not complicated, and is inexpensive. Certainly, it demonstrates his apparent versatility and, clearly, his realization that not everyone can afford to eat truffles or spend five hours preparing and beautifying a single dish. The more I learn about Ramsay the more I find I like him.

Cost:

• olive oil: $0.06
• red onion: $0.91
• red bell pepper: $1.50
• garlic cloves: $0.16
• hot Italian sausage: $3.99
• long-grain rice: $0.80
• white wine: $1.50
• chicken stock: $0.32
• spring onions*
• tomato: $1.37
• flat-leaf parsley: $0.40

Total: $11.01 or about $2.75 for each of four generous servings.

*The last time I used scallions/green onions/spring onions, I placed the root ends in a glass of water. I've been trimming the quantities I need for recipes since. This one and some leftover chili, so far. I don't know if I'll use more of them since the color is gradually diminishing and they look a little anemic. Maybe I'll throw 'em in a pot of dirt.

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