Carolina Pilau Perloo Food

LOWCOUNTRY PERLOO

Steps:

• Peel all the shrimp and put the shells, and heads if you have them, into a pot with the bay leaves, onion, celery and carrot. Cover with 7 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 30 minutes while you chop everything else for the perloo.
• As the stock is simmering, slowly fry the bacon in a large, heavy pot. When it is crispy, remove the bacon (eat a slice) and chop roughly. Set the bacon aside.
• Saute the 2 cups chopped onion, 2 cups chopped celery and the diced yellow bell pepper in the bacon fat until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and rice and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes, until the rice turns translucent.
• Add the white wine, tomatoes and chile pepper to the pot and stir well.
• Set up a fine-meshed strainer with a paper towel in it. Ladle two or three ladles of the shrimp stock through this strainer into the rice pot. Stir well. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is tender.
• Add one more ladle of shrimp stock to the pot, along with the shrimp and the parsley. Mix to combine, cover the pot and turn the heat to its lowest setting. Cover for 5 minutes to let the shrimp cook, then mix in the bacon and black pepper and serve.

CHICKEN PERLOO

Steps:

• Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
• Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the House Seasoning. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and the sausage to the skillet. Sear the chicken on one side, stirring and flipping the sausage occasionally, until the chicken is deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken and sausage to the plate with the bacon.
• Add the celery, onions and peppers to the remaining bacon and chicken fat. Cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in the sherry and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the tomatoes and let cook until they release all their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and butter and cook for about 1 minute. Stir the cooked bacon and sausage back into the skillet. Stir in the chicken stock and check for seasoning. Nestle the chicken thighs, skin-side up, back into the pan, adding any juices from the plate.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, 20 to 30 minutes. Fluff the rice and sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
• Stir everything together in a medium bowl. Keep in an airtight container. Makes 5 teaspoons.

CAROLINA PILAU (PERLOO)

Steps:

• Fry the bacon in a large skillet over very low heat, just until it reaches the crisp stage. Remove from pan, crumble and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat, then add the rice and stir, cooking slowly until rice is lightly browned.
• Add the boiling stock, stir, and bring back to the boil.
• Add chicken, vegetables, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until rice, chicken and vegetables are done and liquid is absorbed.
• Serving Ideas : Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and parsley.

RED RICE PERLOO

Steps:

• Rinse the rice until the water becomes slightly clear. (This removes the starch.)
• Process the celery, onion and bell pepper in a food processor or until finely minced. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, sugar and House Seasoning and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Stir in the okra, rice and butter and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and vegetable stock and check for seasoning.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, 20 to 30 minutes. Fluff the rice, then add the lemon juice and sprinkle with parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
• Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

CHARLESTON SHRIMP PILAU

Steps:

• Fry bacon until crisp; remove and cook onion in bacon fat until translucent.
• Add tomatoes and rice; mix well, cover and heat to boiling point.
• Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork to prevent sticking.
• Set in a warm place where there is no danger of scorching for another 20 minutes to allow the rice to become fluffy.
• Add shrimp and bacon; place in a casserole dish and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.