Recipe: Jammin' Red Jambalaya

Jammin' Red Jambalaya

Yield: 6 to 8 hungry-man servings.

1-lb. boneless chicken, cubed; AND/OR
1-lb. shrimp, boiled and peeled
1-lb. (hot) smoked sausage or 1 lb. diced smoked ham
1 large onion, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 small cans tomato paste
8-10 cups chicken stock or chicken bouillon, divided
1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked

Brown the chicken and sliced sausage (and/or ham) in a large frying pan or heavy Dutch oven. (Note: If you are making the jambalaya using ONLY chicken and/or lean ham, you'll have to brown it in a few tablespoons of oil. Otherwise, the natural oily juices from the sausage should provide adequate browning liquid.) Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat. Set meats aside in a covered dish. In the frying pan, sauté the onion, green pepper, garlic and celery until onions just start to turn translucent.

Add tomato paste and cook over low heat for about five minutes. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and stir until all ingredients are well blended.

Add the tomatoes, spices and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the meat(s) and cook another 7 minutes.

Add 8 cups of stock or bouillon for a "thick" jambalaya. Add 10 cups stock for a "soupy" jambalaya. Stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cover tightly. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is done. (Do not stir while rice is cooking.) If using shrimp, add to pot in the last 5 to 7 minutes of cooking time. Do not overcook!

Remove bay leaves and serve with crusty bread and fresh green salad.

Notes:
You may substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons Creole seasoning blend for all the individual spices.

Use a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.

Gonzales, Louisiana is called the Jambalaya Capital of the World. Every year they host a Jambalaya cook-off contest.