Chicken Giblets with Tomato and Rice

Chicken Giblets with Tomato and Rice are worth the taste if you like giblets. Chicken Giblets need not be ignored outside the making of giblet gravy.  If you wish , use just the chicken liver. Many times folks just don’t know what to do with them other than pan frying in butter.  This comes from when I was a little girl and my cousin would make this for me.  She would use elbow pasta instead of rice, but either one is delicious.  Chicken Giblets with Tomato and Rice can also be served as a starter. Just have plenty of sour dough bread to sop up the sauce.

Serves 2 to 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste (optional)
• ½ cup fresh chopped tomatoes, with some of the juices, but seeded
• 1 pound coarsely chopped chicken giblets, or just livers, trimmed of any gristle or fat
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher  salt or to taste
• 1 cup long grain rice or elbow pasta
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté onions until translucent.
2. Toss in the garlic and bay leaf.  Cook until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomato, cover and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and married into the onions. Add the tomato paste, if using.  If you are using tomato paste, make sure it is dissolved well.
4. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and the rice. When the rice has been cooking 5 minutes, add the chicken livers with the parsley and continue cooking until the rice is completely done,  about 15 minutes. If you use the stomach and heart, they will need to be added earlier, in step 3 to ensure tenderness.