Quick "Jambalaya"
ingredients heavily adapted from Rachael Ray (50% changed), though I kept her method entirely intact
Ingredients
Cooked rice, enough for 4 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces precooked andouille, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 fresh bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon or so Louisiana hot sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 teaspoon cumin
1 rounded teaspoon ancho chili powder
A pinch each of marjoram, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and sage (or a teaspoon poultry seasoning)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Chopped scallions, for garnish
Method
Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Place chicken in hot oil and butter and brown for 3 minutes. Add sausage and cook 2 minutes more. Add onion, bell pepper, bay leaf, Louisiana hot sauce and cayenne.
Saute 5 minutes, then sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and stock and season with cumin, ancho chili powder, herbs, and Worcestershire. Bring liquids to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove pot from heat. Scoop rice into individual bowls and ladle jambalaya on top. Sprinkle dishes with salt, pepper and chopped scallions.
NOTES
This dish is kind of special for us because it was the first meal I cooked after I stopped blogging in July. I used whatever I had on hand to make the recipe "mine" and I was so relaxed in the kitchen that night, it was ridiculous. I've made it probably 10 times since and it has become far and away our favorite weeknight meal. It's seriously tasty, fast and easy to make and provides us leftovers for a great lunch the next day.
12 comments:
Melissa this looks terrific. When I make Jambalya, it's always a crap shoot with me whether the rice will come out or not. So cooking the rice and then mixing it in works great. My rice always comes out perfect in the rice cooker.
Also, smoked sausage or Polish Kielbasa works just as well as andouille if andouille isn't easy to find.
I like your adaptations, jambalya is so versitile.
Between you and me...I like Rachel but even though her dad is from Louisiana, she doesn't know what the hell she's doing when she tries to cook Cajun ;-)
oh. i was gonna ask about using kielbasa instead of the andouille, but katherine already answered it. sweet!
This looks wonderful! Mine never looks this good:)
Hey Melissa - You know, I have had Jambalya several times and I've never been a fan. It seems like it's always made with a lot of green bell peppers, which I hate, and it's the only think I can taste. Have you ever found this? I notice yours uses red bell pepper. Your picture looks very appetizing and you know I've had great success with several of your other creations, so maybe I'll revisit this.
Katherine - With both jambalayas I have made, both the long cooked "authentic" one and this quick version, I have made the rice separately. I know recipes that have it cooking with it, and I'm sure I'll try it sometime, but I have rice... issues haha, so it makes it kind of no-fail to do it this way.
I like Rachael fine, about half the time. I have one of her earlier books (365: No Repeats) and never made a bad meal from it.
Cali - Glad she could answer that for ya. ;)
Cheryl - Give this one a try! It's very much in line with your fast and easy weeknight meals and is startlingly good.
Amy - I can understand that. I'm not a big fan of green bell pepper either. This recipe used it originally - along with celery, another favorite of yours :P - and the pepper was replaced and the celery omitted (along with the shrimp). But the other long cooked recipe I made last year didn't I used red bell pepper as well. Other than that, I've never had jambalaya so I wouldn't know. Huh. I just realized because of your question that jambalaya is another dish I've made that I've never tried outside my home. Funny. But hey, do what you want with it! This recipe is so, so quick and simple, and probably perfect for you in terms of ingredients.
I definitely will!
I love Jambalaya! This picture looks totally mouth-watering.
Hey -- I am going to be in California later this month. Are you anywhere near Palm Springs?
S - I'm about an hour and a half away (mostly west). Will you only be in Palm Springs?
Haha! Love the name! So colorful and good looking!
Sorry - Delayed response. Not sure how far from Palm Springs we'll venture. Is there a nice half way point? Send me a msg if you want to make plans.
You have to tell me when. I'd message you, but, um, I lost your email address. :P
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