Boudin-Style Pork & Rice Dressing

Ingredients

• 1½ lb pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 oz chicken livers
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion, quartered plus 1 onion finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 ribs celery, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tsp Creole seasoning
• ½ tsp cayenne
• 4 scallions, sliced
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Simmer the pork, livers, quartered onion, and garlic in the water with a big pinch of salt for 45 minutes, until the pork shreds under a fork. Keep the broth — you will need 2 cups of it.
2. While that goes, cook the rice in 2 cups of the strained pork broth until tender, about 18 minutes. Broth-cooked rice is the difference between boudin and rice pilaf.
3. Chop or pulse the drained pork and livers into a coarse, craggy mince. Do not puree it; you want texture you can feel.
4. Fold the meat, rice, diced onion, bell pepper, celery, Creole seasoning, and cayenne together in a wide bowl, moistening with broth a few tablespoons at a time until it clumps when squeezed.
5. Stir in scallions and parsley, taste hard for salt and heat, then press into a buttered dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes to set the top.