Name: Braised Bacon Carolina Rice
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 hr
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 (1/2-pound) piece slab bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces; 1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion; 2/3 cup finely chopped celery; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; 1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika (piment&ocute;n picante); 4 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 cup tomato juice; 1 cup long-grain white rice (preferably Carolina Gold); 2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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Braised Bacon Carolina RiceJohn Kernick

It's pretty hard to upstage bacon, but if you get your hands on some heirloom Carolina Gold rice, the granddaddy of long-grain rices in the United States, that's what you might end up doing. Lee cooks it uncovered, which allows the water to evaporate and thus concentrates the richness of the chicken stock and tomato juice.

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