Cajun Jambalaya

Cajun Jambalaya

I learned this recipe 25 years ago when I was a college kid living in New Orleans. I was working the line in a little neighborhood French-Creole restaurant in Uptown New Orleans. I have been cooking it for 25 years.

A little Info:

Cajun = Country: Cajun food is country food from the poor people who live out in the country side of Louisiana( “Lousian” ) They and there food is poor, rustic, hearty, HOT, and a unique comfort food with a kick in the rear.

Creole = French City: The French people who lived in New Orleans (“Narlins” please don’t miss pronounce it, you are guaranteed a poor drink and a scowl from your bartender), needed help for the kitchen, and turned to the Cajuns for it. They filled their kitchens with this inexpensive country people and tried to get them to cook French again. Yes again, the Cajuns or Acadians are French settlers who originally lived on the New England Coast. The result is a cross between country Cajun, and classic French aka Creole.

This is Cajun Jambalaya, a poor mans dinner. It is made with Chicken, Andouille sausage, and cured pork. Since we live in NY and I refuse to use frozen, packaged or inauthentic product, I have adapted this recipe to NY. I instead use fresh Italian Hot Sausage, and chicken, where as Creole Jambalaya uses seafood. Again since we do not live on the gulf coast I will not attempt that dish here.

Cajun Jambalaya

Stock Base:

1 lb Hot Italian Sausage – cut into inch long pieces

4 chicken breasts – Cut into 1 by .5 inch pieces

¼ lb butter

4 cloves fresh garlic

Good salt

Pepper

Stock:

6 stalks of celery diced, into medium pieces

2 yellow onions, diced medium

Bell Pepper, diced medium

Large pack of large mushrooms – sliced

2 Bay leaves

1 Tb Oregano - dried

2 Tb Basel – dried

2 cups dry white wine

1 bunch Italian parsley, cleaned, and chopped fine

Seasoning:

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Finishing:

6 Cups Cold Water ( or Good Chicken Stock)

1 ½ cup Long grain rice

6 oz box Wild rice

2 bunches Scallions diced

Stock Base: Melt butter in large stockpot, add garlic and all meat. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat, while constantly stirring, and then remove all meat from the pot leaving its font and fat. Set the meat aside until ready to finish the dish.

Stock: Add all ingredients and cook until vegetables are cooked, but still have a good crunch to them. Season the stock. When veggies are done, make your first pass with the cayenne pepper. A couple of shakes is all that is needed. The longer it is in the pot, the hotter it will get. Be very careful, cayenne can ruin a dish.

Finishing: Return the meat to the stock, and mix it back in. Add water or stock, and bring to a rolling boil. Add scallions. When stock Is rolling add all of the rice, cover and turn the heat off. Wait 20 minutes and DO NOT TOUCH THE POT!!!!

After 20 Minutes check the dish and stir. Test the rice. If there is too much fluid, ( leave it moist for better leftovers ) and the rice is under done, let it sit longer. If the dish is dry and the rice is underdone add water, or stock and let it sit longer. If it is done but to wet, then over very low heat or no heat, while constantly stirring continue to let it evaporate to a good consistency. In this case, stirring speeds up the evaporation process allowing it to thicken before becoming over cooked. This is where Jambalaya is done correctly or done poorly.