1 c Coarse chopped yellow onion
2 md Garlic cloves
- peeled and minced
1 c Chopped sweet green pepper
3/4 c Finely diced celery
4 tb Bacon drippings
3 tb Minced parsley
6 oz Smoked ham
- cut in 3/8-in cubes
1 lg Bay leaf; crumbled
1/2 ts Crumbled leaf thyme
1/4 ts Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 ts Salt (or to taste)
1 cn Tomatoes (1 lb, 14-oz)
1 cn Tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 3/4 c Cold water
1 3/4 c Uncooked converted rice
1 1/2 lb Medium shrimp, raw,
- shelled, deveined
SET A LARGE KETTLE (not made of iron) over moderate heat. Saute the onion,
garlic, green pepper and celery in the bacon drippings for 8 to 10 minutes
until they are limp and golden. Add the parsley, ham cubes, bay leaf, thyme
and cayenne pepper. Saute, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the
salt, tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce and water. Simmer the kettle,
uncovered, for 5 minutes, breaking up any large clumps of tomatoes. Adjust
the burner heat so that the mixture simmers gently. Stir in the rice, cover
the kettle, and boil the rice for 40 minutes. Add the shrimp, tossing the
mixture lightly to distribute them evenly. Cover the kettle and simmer for
15 to 20 minutes longer, until the shrimp are cooked through, the rice is
done, and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Taste the jambalaya
and add the cayenne pepper and salt, if needed.
