1/2 c Bacon drippings
OR margarine
1 lb Smoked sausage - diced
1/2 lb Andouille - diced
-(Polish Can be
-substituted)
1/2 lb Tasso
1/2 lb Bacon - crumbled
2 c Chicken - julienned
-OR julienned turkey
2 lg Onions - coarsely chopped
1 md Bell pepper - chopped
6 Ribs celery - coarsely
-chopped
4 Clove garlic - finely minced
3 c Rice - long grain
16 oz Rotel tomatoes and hot
-peppers
2 c Beef stock
2 ts Kitchen Bouquet
1/2 ts Thyme
2 ts Chili powder
-black pepper to taste
-cayenne pepper to taste
-salt to taste
2 lb Shrimp - peeled
12 Green onions - sliced
1/2 c Parsley - minced
To make a really good pot of jambalaya, you're going to need a
well-seasoned black cast iron Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. And for
this recipe, an 8-quart pot is perfect!
So take the pot, put it on the burner over high heat, and pour in the bacon
drippings (or margarine). Then toss in the smoked sausage, andouille,
tasso, and crumbled bacon and stir-fry the meats until the smoked sausage
turns light brown (it should take about 8 minutes or so).
Now, drop in the julienned chicken and stir-fry it until every strip loses
its translucency (turns white). Then immediately add the onions, bell
pepper, celery and garlic, and reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the
vegetables until they soften.
At this point, pour in the rice. And you want to stir it thoroughly into
the seasoning vegetables and meats until every single grain is moistened --
about 4 to 5 minutes.
Next, add the tomatoes, beef stock, Kitchen Bouquet, thyme and chili
powder, blend everything together well, and bring the mixture to a slow
boil. When this happens, taste the liquids and season the dish to taste
with salt, black and cayenne pepper. Just remember that you're going to
have to season it a little on the "heavy side" because the rice will absorb
much of the seasonings as it cooks, and you still have a couple pounds of
shrimp to mix in. *So be sure to taste carefully!* [I'd definitely add
Tabasco for flavor, too.]
When everything is just right, reduce the heat as low as it will go, put
the lid on the pot, and simmer the jambalaya for about an hour. This "slow
cooking" process allows each grain of rice to cook evenly, puff properly,
and pick up the combination of flavors. If the heat is too high, the rice
will stick to the bottom of the pot and turn mushy.
Then when the jambalaya is done, about 5 minutes before you're ready to
eat, stir in the raw shrimp, green onions, and parsley, put the lid back on
the pot, and continue to simmer the jambalaya over *low heat* until the
shrimp turn pink.
I suggest that before you serve the dish, you fluff the rice slightly. I
also suggest that you serve the dish alongside crispy butter French bread
and ice-cold beer.
CHEF'S HINTS: 1. Under no circumstances should you remove the cover from
the pot during the slow-cooking process. If you do, you'll release steam
you need to cook the rice. Your rice will turn out hard in the center and
your jambalaya will be dry instead of moist. Don't peek in the pot! 2. If
you don't feel that your stove-top will cook the jambalaya slowly enough,
put the cover on the pot (after you mix the liquids in), set your oven at
300F, put the pot into the oven, and bake the dish for about 45 minutes. It
will come out perfect!
From "Frank Davis Cooks Naturally N'Awlins" by Frank Davis.
From Michelle Bass From: Rich Harper Date: 12 Feb 94
