Cooking
This Lowcountry Rice Is Studded With Okra and Smoky Bacon
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Okra and bacon partner well against the canvas of perfectly cooked grains of parboiled rice here. Also called converted rice, parboiled rice grains are blanched and then dried and milled to remove the bran and husk. The okra in chef and cookbook author Charlotte Jenkins’ purloo is sublime, blending in but also somehow distinguishing itself among the pork and aromatic vegetables. Add the onion when the bacon and ham are golden and just starting to crisp, rather than waiting until the bacon is fully crispy and browned, to avoid scorching. The okra shows up late to the party on purpose. “I don’t cook the okra in the rice the whole time because if you did that,” Jenkins says, “the okra would disintegrate.” Folding in the sautéed okra at the end means that the pieces stay firm and juicy while still melding into the rice.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
You could use all bacon or all ham if you only have one of the two. If using only ham, which is less fatty, you may need to add a splash of oil.
Make ahead
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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