This recipe was posted to Food52 by Jenny H. It is a riff on classic Louisiana dirty rice with the "dirt" provided by sauteed mushrooms instead of offal. The Creole seasoning she adapted from Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning. The Creole seasoning recipe makes more than needed for this recipe, but I've found the mix has tons of uses, such as a dry rub for grilled meat.
The chicken is optional--you can make the rice by itself.
Creole Seasoning (combine all ingredients and mix well)
1 1/2 TBS pimenton (smoked paprika)
1 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS salt
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp crushed dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp crushed dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp crushed dried basil
Chicken and Rice
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (cepes)
5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
2 1/2 tsp salt (in all)
5 tsp Creole seasoning (see above) in all
grape seed or other cooking oil
3 cups assorted fresh mushrooms (such as shiitake, maitake, oyster)
2 cups diced yellow onion
5 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 fresh serrano chile, diced
3 bay leaves (preferably fresh)
1/4 tsp oregano (roughly chopped if fresh)
1/4 tsp thyme (preferably fresh)
1 cup crushed tomatoes, juice and all
1 cup long grain rice (see note below)
thinly sliced scallions and parsley as a garnish (optional)
1) Make a porcini stock by boiling water and pouring 1 1/4 cup over the dried porcini mushroooms. Allow to steep for at least 1/2 hour while you proceed with the recipe.
2) In a mixing bowl, season both sides of the chicken with 1 tsp of salt and 2 tsp of the Creole seasoning. In a heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven (I use a cast iron gumbo pot), heat a thin layer of oil over high heat. Brown the chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side. Be careful it doesn't stick to the pan. Remove chicken and set aside.
3) Remove the porcinis that have been soaking, squeezing excess water back into the soaking dish. Filter the soaking liquid through a single layer of paper towel to remove any soot. Set the liquid aside. Roughly chop the fresh mushrooms and the porcinis. Bring the same pan you used to saute the chicken up to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 tsp salt. Saute 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pan.
4) Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp salt, then add the celery, bell pepper, serrano chile, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Season with the rest of the salt and Creole seasoning. Saute until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Return mushrooms to the pan and mix well. Add the crushed tomatoes, rice, and reserved porcini stock. Stir so that every grain of rice is coated with the juices and spices.
5) Lay the chicken on top of the rice mixture skin side up. Turn heat to a low simmer. Cover completely and cook 30 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow to sit for another 15 minutes.
Place the chicken on serving plates. Fluff up the rice and, if you wish, serve it garnished with liberal amounts of scallions and parsley.
NOTES
The original recipe calls for grape seed oil. Any oil with a high smoke point will do. I use olive oil or peanut oil.
Use whatever fresh mushrooms you wish. A variety is useful. Ordinary button mushrooms will work but IMO are too pedestrian.
I don't keep fresh bay leaves, oregano, and thyme on hand so I used dried herbs.
Being a heat-monger, I use a whole fresh green Thai bird's eye chile instead of 1/2 of a serrano.
Regarding the rice, the original recipe says "long grain rice, such as basmati". As with all the Louisiana dishes I make, I use Ben's Original Parboiled Rice.
-Paul W.
