KEM
From the age of five, I can pinpoint memories of my Aunt Kem. She was one of the coolest people I ever knew. She was a rebel to most, a mother/aunt to a few but most importantly a hero to me. My Aunt Kem never introduced a dull moment to me and my brother while we visited her. She would continually make us question society, allow us to have fun moments with her children and often introduce us to pop culture of current and past. She was the cool aunt; but, moreover she was the aunt that would allow you to be unapologetically you. I think the first rap song I ever heard with profanity was with my Aunt Kem. The first time I heard Crazy in Love was with my Aunt Kem. The first time I ever heard Monica was with my Aunt Kem. I was her favorite, and she was mine. Spending time with her was one of the few escapes I had in my adolescent years. It hurts to know that she is gone cause it feels as if a piece of my childhood and innocence has been taken away. It’s gone. She’s gone. When I heard the news Monday morning of her death, it felt like adulthood had again overwhelmed me. Because, once again, I’m facing the inevitability of death. I sometimes struggle to fully understand it and comprehend, yet my life has been full of deaths of people I truly loved. Knowing my aunt, the last thing she would want me doing right now is writing a long ass blog post about her. She would want me to be celebrating life, continuing on my journey of happiness and certainly cursing the negativity away. Following suit, I’ll do those aforementioned self-indulgent acts in the best and healthiest way I know—cooking.
My Aunt Kem could cook! That lady could whip up a meal for 6 hungry children like no other. The food, pop culture and moments of joy I associate with her are vast. The memories of food keep resurfacing causing me to celebrate in joy and then cry in dismay over and over and over. One particular meal my Aunt Kem made for me so many odd years ago was Dirty Rice from scratch (I believe). Unlike her other meals, she did not hold back on spice for me or anyone else at the table. The food was quite enjoyable while the scorch was so painful. In honoring her, I am going to make the very dish that defined one of my most cherished moments with her—Dirty Rice (my take on Isaac Toup’s recipe).
[Rest in love, Kemberly “Kem” Evette Maxwell (March 8, 1970-August 24, 2020). You’ll always be my hero.]
dirty rice & homemade cornbread
ingredients:
meat (beef):
1lb. ground beef
2t kosher salt
1T oil
1/2t ground black pepper
1/2t ground cumin
3-4T cajun seasoning
1/4t cayenne pepper
1/3c light beer (I used Modelo)
meat (pork):
1/2lb. ground pork
2t kosher salt
1/2t ground black pepper
roux:
1/4c oil
1/4c organic all-purpose flour
gravy:
1/2c white onion, chopped
1/2c green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2c red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2c celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3T serrano pepper, finely chopped
1/3c light beer (I used Modelo)
1 1/2c chicken broth
1/4c hot sauce (or more)
2c white rice, cooked
2T unsalted butter
1/2 bunch green onions (green tops only), chopped
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper (until your arm hurts)
cornbread:
1c cornmeal
1c organic all-purpose flour
1t baking powder
1/2t baking soda
1/2t salt
1/2c melted unsalted butter
1/3c light brown sugar
1/4c white sugar
1T honey or hot honey
1 egg
1c organic whole milk or buttermilk (I used organic whole milk)
2 strips thick-cut bacon
Cooking Spray
recipe
the meat(s):
Season pound of ground beef with black pepper, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Place pound of ground beef (seasoned side down) in pan set to medium-high. Cook for 4-6 minutes OR until brown sear is reached. While the seasoned side cooks, season the other side. Flip ground beef and allow to cook for another 3-6 minutes. Then break up ground beef. Season once again. Add beer and cook for another 5 minutes. I prefer for my meat to be a bit chunky in my dirty rice. Set ground beef aside in bowl.
Place ground pork into pan set to medium-high. Season uncooked side with salt & pepper. Cook for 4-6 minutes OR until brown sear is reached. Flip ground pork and allow to cook for another 3-6 minutes. Then break up ground pork. Season once again with salt & pepper. I prefer for my meat to be a bit chunky in my dirty rice. Set ground pork aside in bowl.
roux:
Place flour into pot set on medium-high and allow flour to heat for 1 minute. Add oil. Stir and continue to stir while as the oil and flour form a paste. Stir more until flour turns into a dark chocolate color.
I recommend for anyone new to the roux to set the pot to medium-low. Why!?! Roux is something that must be mastered. If it’s burnt, it will ruin the entire dish. The medium-low setting will make it easier to control and monitor the roux; however, a temperature that low will delay the roux. It’ll take 30-45 minutes rather than 15-20. Take your time. Love your roux.
gravy:
Place onions, bell peppers, celery into roux. Cook for 3 minutes. It should smell amazing—if it doesn’t, your roux has gone rancid. Place garlic and cook for 1 minute. Place serrano peppers and cook for 1 additional minute. Pour beer. Cook for another 3 minutes. Pour in chicken broth in 1/2 cup increments. Allow gravy to thicken with an occasional stir. Once gravy has thickened slightly, pour in ground beef and ground pork. Pour in hot sauce and add ground black pepper & kosher salt. Add more chicken broth if needed. Set to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 75 minutes. This will allow your gravy to thicken and give you time to finish the cornb—
cornbread:
Set oven to 400F. In a cold medium-size cast iron skillet, place 2 bacon strips inside and then set pan to medium-high heat. Allow bacon to cook and render fat. After bacon is cooked, take bacon out, place skillet in oven and allow skillet to heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, set oven to 375F.
While the skillet heats, in a medium-size bowl pour kosher salt, baking powder & soda, sugar, brown sugar, cornmeal and organic all-purpose flour inside. Whisk whisk. Set aside. In a separate medium-size bowl, pour honey, melted butter, milk and egg. Whisk whisk. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Take cast iron skillet out of oven, rub bacon fat all over pan with paper towel or basting brush and pour mixture into skillet. (Mixture might slightly cook on edges. That’s fine)
If you’re uncomfortable with using bacon fat, then you can simply use cooking spray after heating the skillet. I used a mixture of bacon fat and cooking spray in my heated skillet.
Place skillet in oven and cook for 20 minutes OR until cornbread has risen and has slightly-browned crust. Enjoy!
dirty rice:
After gravy has cooked for 75 minutes, add cooked rice, butter and green onions to pot. I drained a bit of the gravy cause I prefer my dirty rice to be a bit dry. Enjoy!
