Refrigerator and Pantry Raid!

Last weekend, I went to the grocery store to buy a red bell pepper, one pound of ground pork and a pack of brioche hamburger buns. That was all I needed, yet I still made two full (and amazing) recipes by raiding the refrigerator and pantry for the rest of the ingredients!

Have you ever heard of a Muffaletta sandwich? My guess is probably yes. It is a delicious sandwich that originated in New Orleans and contains meats such as salami, cheese such as provolone, and a chopped olive salad.

Have you ever heard of Muffaletta Rice? My guess is probably no.

Keep on reading because this is such a winner!

My original plan was to make Cajun Dirty Rice as a belated Mardi Gras celebration, but I was missing some of the ingredients. So when I opened the refrigerator and saw that we had leftover salami and olives, my instantaneous thought was Muffaletta Rice! You can see from this picture that the colors and flavors were just bursting. And this was just the side dish. After I tell you about the rice, scroll down to check out my Roasted Garlic Pork Burgers with Chili Crisp Runny Egg. More bursting flavors!

I started the rice by crisping and rendering chopped salami in a touch of olive oil. While it cooked, I chopped my vegetables which included the typical trinity (bell pepper, celery, onion), garlic, thyme, olives, and scallions.

I added a tablespoon of butter to the oil and sautéd the trinity, seasoning with salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning.

Once softened, I added a tablespoon of chopped garlic.

I added two cups of long grain rice and allowed it to toast for several minutes.

I poured in four cups of chicken stock, a teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme, and another tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Once the liquid reached a boil, I lowered the heat, covered the pan, and allowed the rice to cook undisturbed for twenty minutes.

I fluffed the rice with a fork and tasted for doneness.

To finish, I added back the crispy salami, plus the chopped olives, and fresh scallions.

Maybe not quite every ingredient that you would find in a Muffaletta sandwich, but pretty darn close - the olives, the vegetables, and the meat. This is a keeper and I will definitely make this again! AND, it allowed me to make some space in the refrigerator!

The only item I needed for this from the grocery store was the red bell pepper.

The rice was not even the main dish but I wanted some type of rice to accompany my Roasted Garlic Pork Burgers with Chili Crisp Runny Egg. I started by roasting two heads of garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a 400 degree oven for forty-five minutes.

I tested by piercing with a fork and once the garlic was soft, it was ready to come out of the oven to cool for a few minutes while I prepared the burgers.

I combined ground pork with salt, Szechuan pepper, and a teaspoon each of Korean chili powder, Sambal, soy sauce, and ponzu, plus the roasted garlic which I squeezed out of the bulbs.

Once the patties were formed, I refrigerated them for twenty minutes so that they would not fall apart on the grill.

While the burgers were on the grill, I toasted some brioche buns in butter and then moved them to a warming oven.

Step 1 - Kewpie mayonnaise. Super creamy, a touch sweet.

Step 2 - Burger.

Step 3 - Pickled onions, which I made while the garlic roasted. I placed thinly sliced onions in a pickling liquid consisting of red wine vinegar, white vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper. I let it sit for thirty minutes.

Step 4 - A runny egg which I cooked over a spoonful of chili crisp. If you have not yet tried chili crisp, you are seriously denying yourself. I am obsessed with it! It also gave a touch of color to the egg.

Is your mouth watering?

The only items I needed for this from the grocery store were the ground pork and hamburger buns.

Before spending unnecessary money on groceries, always check your fridge and pantry first! You never know what delicious creation you may cook up with ingredients you forgot you already had!