Blackened Cod with Dirty Rice

Ingredients

• 1½ lb cod fillets
• ½ lb andouille sausage
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp blackening seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp parsley (optional)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Steps

1. Dice the andouille sausage, onion, celery, and bell pepper. Mince the garlic. Rinse the rice under cold water until clear.
2. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown the diced sausage over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove sausage and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
3. Add olive oil to the pan if needed, then add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, and cayenne (if using), cooking for another minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the rinsed rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in the cooked sausage.
5. While the rice cooks, pat cod fillets dry. Melt butter in a separate cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Generously coat cod fillets with blackening seasoning.
6. Carefully place seasoned cod in the hot skillet. Cook for 2-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until a dark crust forms and the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
7. Fluff the dirty rice with a fork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in fresh parsley if desired.
8. Serve the blackened cod immediately over a bed of dirty rice.