Jambalaya was the second Creole dish taught to me at the New Orleans School of Cookery. Consisting of meat (usually chicken and Andouille sausage), the ‘holy trinity’ of celery, green peppers and onions, vegetables, rice and sometimes seafood, it is seasoned with paprika and other spices. This results in a dense, tasty rice dish that is both filling and savoury.
It, like many other Nola dishes, has its roots in the history of New Orleans. It was an attempt by the Spanish, who once held much territory in America, to make their native paella and was further influenced by Nola‘s French inhabitants and by the Caribbean slaves who added spicing to the dish.
This recipe is for a chicken and sausage Jambalaya. If you want seafood – cook it separately and add it when the rice is turned at the end.
Perfect for a cool night’s feast, a hangover or just a general pig out!
It, like many other Nola dishes, has its roots in the history of New Orleans. It was an attempt by the Spanish, who once held much territory in America, to make their native paella and was further influenced by Nola‘s French inhabitants and by the Caribbean slaves who added spicing to the dish.
This recipe is for a chicken and sausage Jambalaya. If you want seafood – cook it separately and add it when the rice is turned at the end.
Perfect for a cool night’s feast, a hangover or just a general pig out!
Recipe (12 servings)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 chicken, deboned and cut into 1 inch pieces
1.4 lbs Andouille or smoked sausage, chopped
4 cups white onions, diced
2 cups celery, chopped into small pieces
2 cups green pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 cup garlic, minced
4 cups long grain rice
5 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon oregano
4 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne
2 cups spring onions or tomatoes (or half and half), chopped
salt and pepper
white wine – optional
Method:
1. Season and brown the chicken in oil in a pan over medium/high heat. Remove the chicken from the heat and set to one side. Add the sausage into the same pan and brown over medium heat. Let the sausage become quite intensely browned so that it kind of burns on to the pan. If you have enough time, let this cool. Then reheat it so it browns again. The idea is to get as much flavour burnt on and caramelised around the pan, without it burning and becoming bitter.
2. Add in the onion and saute until almost caramelised, approx. 6 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until cooked, approx. 1.5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or chicken stock – deglaze means to put a liquid into a hot pan with burnt bits of flavour stuck in. By deglazing the pan and scrapping and stirring to get all those burnt on bits off, you are adding flavour back into your dish that might otherwise have been wasted. It also adds a deep brown colour. Make sure you scrape all the bits up. You can repeat this stage a few times, if you have time; deglazing, then letting that dry on and then deglazing again. Just make sure you don’t burn it – there’s a subtle difference!
3. Add the bell pepper and celery and the chicken. Add in the rest of the stock and the herbs and spices and bring to a boil.
4. Add the rice and stir it in. Bring it to a boil. Stir it again, sprinkle the spring onions and/or tomatoes on top and leave them there. Remove it from the heat and cover. Let this rest for 25 minutes, undisturbed. The rice will slowly cook and absorb the stock and the vegetables on top will steam cook.
5. Remove the cover and quickly turn the rice from top to bottom. Season with salt and pepper and serve!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 chicken, deboned and cut into 1 inch pieces
1.4 lbs Andouille or smoked sausage, chopped
4 cups white onions, diced
2 cups celery, chopped into small pieces
2 cups green pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 cup garlic, minced
4 cups long grain rice
5 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon oregano
4 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne
2 cups spring onions or tomatoes (or half and half), chopped
salt and pepper
white wine – optional
Method:
1. Season and brown the chicken in oil in a pan over medium/high heat. Remove the chicken from the heat and set to one side. Add the sausage into the same pan and brown over medium heat. Let the sausage become quite intensely browned so that it kind of burns on to the pan. If you have enough time, let this cool. Then reheat it so it browns again. The idea is to get as much flavour burnt on and caramelised around the pan, without it burning and becoming bitter.
2. Add in the onion and saute until almost caramelised, approx. 6 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until cooked, approx. 1.5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or chicken stock – deglaze means to put a liquid into a hot pan with burnt bits of flavour stuck in. By deglazing the pan and scrapping and stirring to get all those burnt on bits off, you are adding flavour back into your dish that might otherwise have been wasted. It also adds a deep brown colour. Make sure you scrape all the bits up. You can repeat this stage a few times, if you have time; deglazing, then letting that dry on and then deglazing again. Just make sure you don’t burn it – there’s a subtle difference!
3. Add the bell pepper and celery and the chicken. Add in the rest of the stock and the herbs and spices and bring to a boil.
4. Add the rice and stir it in. Bring it to a boil. Stir it again, sprinkle the spring onions and/or tomatoes on top and leave them there. Remove it from the heat and cover. Let this rest for 25 minutes, undisturbed. The rice will slowly cook and absorb the stock and the vegetables on top will steam cook.
5. Remove the cover and quickly turn the rice from top to bottom. Season with salt and pepper and serve!
caramelising sausage and onions
The burnt on bits you are trying to achieve!!
spring onions on top
ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!
