I used to watch Justin Wilson -- the Louisiana cook and humorist -- on PBS decades ago, and always loved him. He's quite the character, but he's also a good cook! (Aside: You can well imagine how thrilled I was to win one of his cookbooks awhile ago from my blogging buddy Debbie at The Culinary Cellar!)
For those of you who don't know him, here's a clip to watch:
When I was essentially teaching myself to cook (my mother had taught me the most basic basics, but I'm pretty much self-taught beyond that), I would watch cooking shows -- ah, Julia, The Galloping Gourmet, all the pre-Food Network ones that show my age! I would also take cookbooks out of the library, and just try new things that sounded good or easy or both.
Justin had demonstrated an easy sausage and rice dish one time, something simple to make if one is new to cooking but also delicious and substantial. It's also something that is just such a good recipe that any- and everyone should make it even if they could call themselves a gourmet chef!
Now that I can cook meat in my kitchen, and also have the lovely contribution to this cause of FlipFlop Wines Riesling that was sent so that I could put it to good use in recipes, there is a sufficient confluence that it was time to bring out Justin's recipe again. I haven't made it in years and years, and am working from memory here since I can't find the original recipe anywhere (even online).
I started with the essential basis of Cajun cooking, "The Trinity": onion, celery and peppers. (If you add garlic, then it's referred to as "The Pope.") One is supposed to use green peppers, but I can't stand them so I substituted some lovely orange and yellow ones instead. I sauteed the vegetables, browned the sausage, cooked down a wine-mustard mixture, and enjoyed my dinner immensely ... :)
On his show (as you saw from the clip, if you watched it), Justin would finish cooking his food, tell a story as he sat down to eat, and then tell everyone how fabulous it was by offering a guarantee of how much you'd like it if you cooked it ... or, with his accent, he'd say "I gar-on-TEE"!
Well, I gar-on-TEE that you will love this as much as I do!
Cajun Sausage and Rice
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 small yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 small orange pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
generous sprinklings of freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound Andouille sausage, sliced (or substitute kielbasa and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes)
1/4 cup Creole mustard
1 cup white wine
rice, for serving
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add the onion, the peppers, salt and pepper, and cook until the vegetables are softening. Add the sausage and brown it. Combine the mustard and the wine, and pour over the sausage. Bring to a boil, then cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until the sauce is reduced and thickened.
Serve over rice.
Serves 2.
