Jambalaya
After spending a long weekend eating our way through New Orleans back in 2016, Paul and I left with a new found love for Cajun and Creole food.
Even with the amazing $.25 oyster happy hour, famous beneighs, and all the late night po boys we could manage, we fell in love with one dish in particular that never gets old, Jambalaya. I love that it is a one pot wonder that packs a punch and I’m sure Paul’s love stems from all the different meats that I load into it. Now by no means is this a “traditional” jambalaya but it’s a family favorite around here and a frequently requested meal during the fall/winter months. Another great thing about this dish is that it of course can be customized to fit your families preferences. I always add shrimp, chicken, and andouille sausage but you can always remove or add different types of meats to your liking. As always, change it up and make it your own and enjoy!
Recipe
Yield: 4 servings
3-4 Stalks celery, small diced
3 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 Onion, small diced
1 Green bell pepper, small diced
3 Chicken thighs ( can also use breast meat, if doing so I would only use 1-2 pieces)
2 Links of andouille sausage ( I normally use pork sausage but found a fun chicken one from TJ)
1 lb of Shrimp ( I prefer the shrimp out of all the meats so I add a lot)
1 Qt chicken or seafood stock
½ of a 15 oz Can of crushed tomato (not traditional but I like the added flavor)
2 Cups of rice
Juice of 1 lemon
Handful of chopped parsley
Cajun seasoning to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
Procedure
Season both shrimp and chicken with Cajun seasoning and set aside.
Sear off sliced andouille sausage until slightly crisp, remove from pan and set aside. Next sear off chicken browning on both sides, remove from pan shred/chop up meat and set aside. Finally, sear off shrimp to slightly cook. Be sure to not cook all the way through. Remove from the pan and set aside.Add diced onion, pepper, celery and garlic into the same pan and saute on medium heat, about 5-7 minutes. Next add all three meats back into the pot and season with as much Cajun seasoning as you would like. Add your rice and bay leaf along with 1 qt of stock mixed with half of your can of crushed tomatoes. Bring the entire thing to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook on low for about 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat, remove bay leaf and add lemon juice and parsley. Best served with Tabasco.