Jambalaya-ya-ya!! Recipes and a story, sort of

[PureCajunSunshine]

I'd like to share this from my family's recipe box, but first...

 

Some words about CAJUN / CREOLE FOOD. It is very economical and tastes oh-so-good! Nowadays it can be found on grocery store shelves in boxes, jars and cans...The flavorful seasonings we use have been made world famous with popular Cajun spice blends. Tony Chachere is getting around quite a bit!

 

South Louisiana cooking has become popular because of the wonderfully complex flavors that come from a blending of French, Spanish, Native American, Caribbean, African and other cooking cultures. It is highly adaptable to a wide range of ingredient substitutions. However, if you leave out any of what is known as the "holy trinity" (chopped onions, bell pepper and celery, sauteed in a small amount of oil), you have left out a little bit of the soul of Louisiana cooking.

 

This Jambalaya recipe reflects some of my heritage: French/Native American/los Islenos Spanish. When my mother's mother's side of the family (early los Islenos, also known as Spanish Canary Island Settlers) came to the New Orleans area in the 1700s, they brought the recipes for their wonderful paella. Since all the ingredients could not be found in the area, they "made do" with what they found. Oysters, shrimp, crab, chicken, duck, alligator, crawfish, etc. replaced the clams and mussels in the original recipes. A long time ago, the locals around New Orleans called these improvised recipes of the los Islenos, "Jambon a la yaya". Yaya is the African word for rice. Now it is called Jambalaya, and it is delicious!

 

Now that you know the story behind it, here's a good Jambalaya recipe. Save a bundle on the commercially boxed version that is sold nowadays.

 

 

PureCajunSunshine's JAMBALAYA (meat or meatless)

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1/2 lb (or more) boneless & skinless meat:(chicken breasts,

rabbit, turtle, deer, alligator or just about anything that don't eat

you first)

 

12 ounces (or more) your favorite smoked sliced sausage (I like

to use Andouille, which is a delicious South Louisiana sausage

that is perfect for seasoning old-time Jambalayas, Gumbos and

Red Beans & Rice. Not to be confused with the continental

French "andouillette", which is a tripe sausage(yuck). A good

quality Keilbasa sausage may be used instead.

 

If going no-meat, use 4 - 6 cups cooked black-eyed peas or

black beans, or 2 or 3 cans of storebought'en. Whatever you

use, make sure it is flavorful and seasoned well.

 

 

1 medium-large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small-medium bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

(beginner cooks: a clove is a single "toe" taken from the main

bunch)

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with the juice

a few dashes (about a teaspoon)of your favorite hot pepper

sauce (preferably Louisiana hot sauce)

2 tablespoons or more of your favorite cooking oil

1 1/2 cups of water (or stock/bouillion for extra flavor)

salt & pepper to taste

4 to 6 cups hot cooked rice

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Cajun spice blend, more or less, to taste

 

Cajun spice blends are found in groceries almost everywhere in

Southern America nowadays, because a good thing is hard to

hide...(Just curious, is it available in Northern states??) For our

friends in other lands, a recipe for a famous Cajun seasoning

blend will follow Jambalaya recipe.

 

Nice touches, if you have it: 1 teaspoon filé powder (powdered

Sassafras leaf, and pronounced FEE-lay); 2 tablespoons

sun-dried tomato sauce/spread (such as Classico brand or

something similar; 1 cup fresh green onion tops, chopped. The

filé powder and green onion tops are added at the very end of

cooking. Wild edibles such as chickweed, cattail roots, violet

leaves, etc. can be added to Jambalaya.

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Heat a large, heavy dry pan over medium-high heat. Cast iron is

always good. Add a very tiny amount of cooking oil to coat the

bottom of the pot

Add sliced sausage. Cook until browned (about 30 minutes). At

this poin it is ok if some of the browning sausage (and added

meat) sticks to the bottom of the pot. This will give the Jambalaya

extra flavor and a nice brown color. Remove sausage, keeping

the drippings in the pan for next step. Cut chicken (or whatever

meat you have on hand)into half-inch pieces and brown in

remaining oil. Return sausage to pan and add onion, celery,

garlic and peppers. Cook over medium heat until the the

vegetables are almost tender. Add tomatoes and their juice,

along with a cup of water (or stock/bouillion). Stir well. If you have

bits of meat stuck to the pot, remove from heat and allow to cool

a little. Work the bits loose with a large spoon. Return to heat,

turned low. Add Cajun spices and hot sauce, stir well, cover and

simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on

taste preferences or time allowance. Add cooked rice, stir well

and heat through.

 

For a one-dish meal, I sometimes add a bit of cooked okra,

collard, mustard or turnip greens (leftover or canned), canned

corn, etc. Adjust your seasonings according to the amount of

extra veggies added

 

 

MAKE YOUR OWN CAJUN SEASONING:

 

If you don't have a good quality commercial Cajun seasoning

blend such Tony Chachere's, Zatarain's or Emeril's Bayou Blast,

then make your own.

 

Floating around Out There on the internet is a recipe for Tony

Chachere's Seasoning, given by the man himself. It is quite

good. I don't have my copy handy, so I'll give you this one

instead...

 

Here is a recipe for Emeril's Bayou Blast. This homemade

version is not as complex as the commercial version, but it'll do:

 

2 1/2 T. paprika

2 T salt

2 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

1 T black pepper

1 T cayenne pepper powder

1 T oregano, dried and crumbled fine

1 T thyme, dried and crumbled fine

 

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Pour into a clean salt shaker.

Use on just about anything. Sprinkle generously before cooking.

 

Ça c'est bon! (that's good!),

PureCajunSunshine

[SueC]

I found a recipe for cajun spice on something - the side of the bag the potatoes came in I think... any ways, I made it up, used it as descibed on roast potatoes and loved it! But my chicken livered conservative family didn't like it I love trying new flavours particularly spicy foods!

[furbabymom]

Thanks for posting this. Jambalaya is one of DH's favorites, except I always make it out of a box (Zatarains). This means I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to make it from scratch, because once he gets used to how something tastes, I'm not allowed to change it, LOL!

 

But, I may give this one a try sometime - it looks good!

 

[furbabymom]

Oh, and we can get the Tony Chachere's seasoning here in the Pacific Northwest, so I bet it's available most anywhere in the US...

[Snowmom]

This looks like something Old Pine would like. He likes hot foods but, I can't eat them.

 

for posting the recipes.

[Darlene]

This is a kewl recipe PCS...and the kind of recipes I love to make...those that are handed down in the family.

 

I found it interesting that Kielbasa could be substituted (only because of my Polish heritage), and love the Andouille...I sometimes use that when I make up blackeyed peas...sautee the Andouille with some onions and garlic, then the blackeyed peas for a while.

 

I wasn't aware of the HT, but I do understand it...it's kind of like "either make the recipe right or don't make it at all"...lol

 

I'll be definitely making this recipe...thanks for sharing it!

[quiltys41]

Wow, thanks for posting the recipe! I don't know if DH will eat this, but I surely will.

 

They have Tony's up in Indiana...my son wont cook without it. His momma raised him up right!

 

Q

[HSmom]

That sounds really good PCS! I love recipes that aren't too exact. I've printed this and am promising myself to try it soon.

[dogmom4]

Aaaah! You are making my mouth water.... My grandparents were in Louisiana. Ever heard of Gueydan? They made some slammin' jambalaya and gumbo. I have never been able to recreate what they made cuz they never wrote anything down. I think I'm gonna give this a try.

Stacy

[Necie]

Yup-we have Tony's and Zatarain's. Have never looked for Emeril's, but am sure it's there. There seem to be alot of generics that just say 'Cajun Seasoning'. My favorite is to use Old Bay and add cayenne for desired 'spiciness'.

 

We have a friend from Louisiana that brings up fresh shrimp, crab, oysters and crawfish a couple times a year. Nothin' like jambalaya with fresh shrimp!

[westbrook]

wipes drool off keyboard.

[HSmom]

Well, seven months later isn't really 'soon', but I have now tried this recipe. However, I made it twice within a week.

 

I started with fully cooked Andouille sausage. I also opened a pint of my VERY garlic chicken (a pint of raw packed chicken - one thigh, two drums - plus about 7 cloves of garlic). I cut up the sausage and the chicken, threw them in a skillet with some duck fat, till they were nicely browned. In the mean time, I was rehydrating commercially-purchased dried celery, green bell pepper, and onion. Once the meat was browned, I drained the vegetables and added them, plus a bit more fat. After just a few minutes, I dumped in chicken broth (from the garlic-y pint) and the tomatoes. I made Emeril's seasoning, as you described, and added a tsp + to my mixture. Plus about a 1/2 tsp of tabasco. Let it all stew for a while, then stirred in some salad shrimp and cooked white rice.

 

I took that first batch to a party (in my crockpot) and got plenty of compliments.

 

The second time I made it, I added fresh red bell pepper (with the sausage & chicken), and fresh spinach (at the end). And this time, I added more tobasco!!! (Lots of little old ladies at that party - didn't want to hurt anyone). And I think I was using ham fat this time.

 

I don't know if it's anything like your jambalaya, but I really do like it!! Thanks!

 

[PoGo]

I tried it, too. I used chicken and Kielbasa. 'Twas very good.