EASY DIRTY RICE WITH CAJUN SPICED GRAVY

Easy Dirty Rice with Cajun Spiced Gravy image

Provided by Elaine Bovender

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 18

3 c chicken broth
1 c white rice
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 lb andouille sausage or smoked sausage, coarsely chopped
1 tsp tony chachere's creole seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
olive oil
pampered chef rice cooker
CAJUN SPICED GRAVY
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c milk or half and half
1/2 c butter (use real butter, do not subsitute oleo)
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp tony chachere's creole seasoning
generous sprinkling of cajun seasoning and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet. When olive oil is hot, add onions and andouille sausage. Saute until onions are transparent and sausage is browned. Set aside.
2. In Pampered Chef rice cooker, add chicken broth. Stir in rice and seasonings. Add onions and sausage, stir well. Place cover on rice cooker and microwave on high for 20 minutes.
3. Remove cooker from microwave and remove cover. Add a small amount of butter, if desired and fluff with fork, making sure all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. You may cover and return to microwave for about 5 more minutes if necessary. Serve with Cajun Spiced Gravy (directions to follow).
4. CAJUN SPICED GRAVY: Melt butter in heavy saucepan. When butter is melted, whisk in flour until well blended. Combine broth, milk and seasonings and slowly whisk into butter mixture. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly and cook until thickened. If gravy seems too thin, mix about a tablespoon of flour with a little milk to make a thin paste and whisk in a little at a time until desired thickness is reached. If mixture seems too thick, you may add a little more milk. Remove from heat and transfer to serving dish to serve with dirty rice.
5. SPECIAL NOTE: This rice dish can be made on top of the stove in a heavy saucepan, but reduce the broth from three cups to two cups. In my experience, the Pampered Chef cooker requires more liquid than the stove top.