Spicy Cajun Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Italian sausage links
• 2 ¼ cups water, divided
• 1 pound shell-on medium shrimp
• 3 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• ¼ cup Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah Rosé
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup chopped green onions

Step 1

Boil the sausage in about 1/4 cup of water for 5 minutes. While that’s going, peel the shrimp and toss the shells and tails into 2 cups of water. Bring this shrimp stock to a boil, then let it simmer gently for around 20 minutes to get all that flavor out.

Step 2

Once the sausage has boiled, grill the links for about 5 minutes until they’re cooked through. Give the shrimp a quick brush with half a tablespoon of oil and grill them for about 2 minutes on each side. Set both the sausage and shrimp aside for now.

Step 3

Heat some vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and red pepper, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions turn translucent. Stir in the Cajun seasoning and rice, cooking everything together for about a minute. Pour in the Syrah Rosé and give it a quick stir, then strain the shrimp stock into the pot.

Step 4

Once the liquid comes to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 20 minutes. While the rice is cooking, chop the grilled shrimp and sausage into bite-sized pieces.

Step 5

When the rice is done, stir in the peas, shrimp, and sausage. Let everything cook together for another couple of minutes until it’s heated through. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, then sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving.