Big Fun from the Bayou
Fall in New Orleans feels like a big easy chair by the fire on a cool rainy day. For me, it is the home of comfort food. Perhaps this is why my friend Bill Murray and I were drawn to the intense, rich...
There are many variations on jambalaya. Our version is adapted from a recipe originally published in a 1970s Junior League cookbook in New Orleans.
Ingredients
- ½ pound andouille sausage
- 4 tablespoons bacon grease
- ½ pound pork chops, minced
- 2 chicken breasts, chopped
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup chopped banana peppers or red or orange bell peppers
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 cups long-grain rice (washed and drained but uncooked)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes (drained, liquid reserved)
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cayenne to taste (optional)
- 3 cups liquid from the tomatoes (add chicken or vegetable broth to make up the difference)
- 3 pounds shrimp or crawfish
- 20 oysters
Instructions
Serves 10–12
In a 4-quart heavy pot, sauté the sausage until firm; remove with a slotted spoon. Add the bacon grease and sauté the minced pork in it for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook through. Add the onions, green onions, peppers, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the sausage, tomatoes, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne and the liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook slowly, covered, stirring occasionally until the rice is done, about 15–18 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer everything to a shallow 4-quart baking dish and stir in the shrimp and oysters. Place uncovered in the oven and cook for 20–30 minutes until the seafood is done. Stir twice while baking, using a large fork to fluff the rice and ensure the seafood is cooking evenly.
Serve warm.
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