Jambalaya!

[baking fool]

How do you make a good jambalaya? Like the chili thread, I don't want recipes, but general tips or secret ingredients. There was a recent Bobby Flay throwdown on the Food Network where he challenged a guy who made good jambalaya. One thing the guy did that seemed to be key was to leave the lid on & not touch. After a 1/2 hour or so there was a big raft of rice & everything else on top. Flay kept taking to lid off to look at his & he got slaughtered. His rice wasn't even cooked completely lol. What can anyone else add?

[VeraBlue]

As far as the food network goes, just because a guy (or woman, as the case usually is) is on television, it doesn't mean they could cook their way out of a paper bag...

The word jambalaya pretty much translates to ham & rice - jambon is ham, and ya-ya is rice.

With the exception of the trinity, which is necessary in all jambalaya, ham and rice are probably the only two other necessary ingredients.

If you sauté the trinity in the oil rendered from the andouille sausage, you'll pick up all the heat from the sausage and not need to add any additional oil.
I'm in the 'don't pick up the lid' camp. Just simmer it....

[Uncle Bob]

Jambalaya Tips:

Garlic, Chicken/Ham Stock, Ham, Andouille, The proper amount of tomato (if used) Enough Cayenne pepper to make it exciting and no peeking. Trinity + Green onions obviously.


Enjoy!

[Andy M.]

Vera has the right idea. It's all about blending flavors.

The, "Don't pick up the lid." rule is common for all rice cooking. No surprise there. The seasonings you use in a spice mix makes jambalayas different from each other.

[Mylegsbig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeraBlue As far as the food network goes, just because a guy (or woman, as the case usually is) is on television, it doesn't mean they could cook their way out of a paper bag...

Hmm. You don't think flay can cook? He has done very well on iron chef japan and USA.

[evenstranger]

I've eaten at Flay's Mesa Grill, and I can assure you, he knows how to cook. However, not every cook, not even a TV cook, knows everything... which is why we're all here!

[VeraBlue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mylegsbig Hmm. You don't think flay can cook? He has done very well on iron chef japan and USA.

Sure, Flay can cook, when he's actually cooking. His talent lies in recipe creation and small scale execution. I've seen him on iron chef. He got electrocuted once because he was running around like a jack rabbit. As for Mesa Grill and Bobo, great places, never had a bad meal at either, all the times I've been there.
I can promise you, Bobby Flay is not in the kitchen. Between his places in the city, in AC and all the television gigs, there is no way he or any of the television personalities are cooking at their restaurants. It's simple mathematics, there just aren't enough hours in a day.

[Irland]

When I cook jambalaya I like to toast the rice in some oil for like 20 seconds, as if you were making Spanish rice except only about 1/2 or less of the effect. I like the texture that it adds to the rice, but do not over-toast it!

[karenlyn]

I guess I don't make authentic jambalaya very often, but when I'm going for something quick, I use a Emeril's cajun spice mix (not the kind you purchase-- the kind you mix up at home). I think it's wonderful, and the leftover spice mix is great on catfish.

[Constance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by baking fool How do you make a good jambalaya? Like the chili thread, I don't want recipes, but general tips or secret ingredients. There was a recent Bobby Flay throwdown on the Food Network where he challenged a guy who made good jambalaya. One thing the guy did that seemed to be key was to leave the lid on & not touch. After a 1/2 hour or so there was a big raft of rice & everything else on top. Flay kept taking to lid off to look at his & he got slaughtered. His rice wasn't even cooked completely lol. What can anyone else add?

I saw that one. The episode should have been named "Irishmen can't make jambalaya".

I was taught that any kind of meat and/or seafood will work, but you must have some good smoked sausage. Most have chicken, too.
You need to brown the meat well, to leave some nice brown bits in the pan, then remove and sweat out your onions, celery and peppers. Then in goes the rice, water or broth, and the meat. Seafood doesn't go in until the very last.