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Gina’s Perfect Rice

Gina: In the South, rice is an essential partner for roast pork or chicken, or anything with a tomatoey sauce or gravy, but even down here, folks sometimes find themselves a little intimidated by the process of making it. If you are the least bit nervous about cooking rice, look no further than our recipe. It delivers foolproof results every time, cooking up fragrant, fluffy rice infused with aromatics (shallots, garlic, and a few fresh herbs).

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock (page 28) or water, warmed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Melt the butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, and sauté until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, and stir until the rice is glossy and coated with the butter. Season the rice with the salt and some pepper, and then add the warmed stock, the sprigs of thyme, bay leaves, and smashed garlic clove. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 to 17 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

    Step 2

    Remove the pan from the heat, and keep it covered for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid, take out the thyme, bay leaves, and garlic, and fluff the rice with a fork, adding the chopped parsley at the same time.

From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf. Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters. Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.
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