Jambalaya

[SierraCook]

This Jambalaya recipe is the one that Lifter asked for. I found this recipe a long time ago in one of the local newspapers. It is a favorite of mine to take to potlucks.

Jambalaya

2 California bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon gumbo file powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 large onion chopped
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
2 bell peppers, chopped
6 oz. thick sliced ham, diced
1 pound little smoked sausages, cut each sausage in half
4 tablespoons oil
2 cups converted rice
4 cups chicken broth

Combine the first eight ingredients together in a small bowl. Prepare vegetables and meats as directed. Heat the oil, saute the meats for about 5 minutes, then add the vegetables and spices, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the raw converted rice and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the broth and bring mixture to boil, stirring well. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes until rice is tender, but not mushy. Remove bay leaves before serving.

 

[Barbara L]

This sounds great! I will have to try this soon.

Barbara

 

[Constance]

That's a good lookin' recipe, Mish. I learned how to fix jambalaya in Gonzales, La, and your method is right on. Thank you for not using tomatoes...they don't do that in Gonzales.
They always started with a good smoked sausage, and then added whatever they had on hand...chicken, shrimp, rabbit, and/or other things. One shouldn't ask too many questions about something that tastes so good.

Sometimes I really miss the bayous.

 

[SierraCook]

You are very welcome, Constance. I am glad that you like the recipe and I am sure that mish would will, too!!

 

[jkath]

I love this recipe! We did cut the spiciness down a bit (for my younger boy) and rather than using little sausages, I cut up polish sausage. It was fantastic and the leftovers (what little there was, as we ate so much!) were great too.

 

[Constance]

You are very welcome, Constance. I am glad that you like the recipe and I am sure that mish would will, too!!

Duh! Sometimes I think I'm losing my mind.

 

[jkath]

Duh! Sometimes I think I'm losing my mind.

Hey - if you find it, see if mine's in there too

 

[Constance]

Hey - if you find it, see if mine's in there too

Can't make you any promises Jkath...I think it's too late for me.

One thing about it...if we weren't crazy, we would all go insane. (Jimmy Buffet)

 

[Andy M.]

...Thank you for not using tomatoes...they don't do that in Gonzales...

Constance, I use Paul Prudhomme's recipe for chicken and tasso jambalaya and it contains tomatos. I didn't know tomatos were not traditional.

 

[kleenex]

Throw in a real hot pepper or two. A bell pepper is too weak!!!

 

[jmjslr]

I was brought up in south central Louisiana and so I know this dish well, even though my mother did not prepare it. Seems like I remember it having tomatoes. Jambalaya was created to use up left overs. Anything that was in abundance at the time. Everyone who had a garden, had bou coup (LOTS!) tomatoes so, it makes sense to me that tomatoes would have been included if you had them on hand and wanted to use them up. I went to the food tv site and looked up 3 of Emeril's Jambalaya recipes and all of the 3 that I checked out had tomatoes. I am also familiar w/ Paul Prudhomme who was brought up in a very small, rural community in south central Louisiana and truely does have a handle on authentic Acacian (Cajun) cuisine so, if his recipe calls for tomatoes then I would trust it. Jambalaya is one of those recipes that should come out a little differently each time because you are composing a dish with the intent of using up what you have too much of.

Whew!

Now, that having been said...I think it is a sin to put tomatoes into Gumbo. Everyone has an opinion and this is mine. I'll bet that some of you have made a delicious Gumbo that is "Sinful"!, but this is my 2 cents worth, and I'm sticking to it.

Have fun every time you cook!

 

[jkath]

interesting history!
Although, after making Sierra's version, I must say, the blend of ingredients were perfect for me!

 

[kingfisherfd2]

I bought my first cookbook when I was in high school, so about 1990. It was from my favorite at the time PBS cooking show host. Justin Wilson. The book is Homegrown Louisiana Cookin' I think the first recipe I tried was the
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya.
It is a recipe that will serve 10 so I don't make it very often. Over the years of experimenting, I have found that cutting back on the amounts of chicken and sausage, and adding in shrimp is a nice bonus.

Funny, I knew that it was on page 73. I haven't opened this book for 4 years.
BTW, there are 4 jambalaya recipes in the book 2 without tomatos, 2 with tomato sauce.

 

[Andy M.]

jmjslr:

SO and I both like the jambalaya with the tomato. I guess we'll stick to that. We serve it with creole sauce (also a PP recipe).

 

[jmjslr]

Andy:

I am so glad that you checked back because it was to your post that I was responding...the authenticity of your jambalaya recipe.

However, having reread my comment...I cannot believe that I misspelled an important word of my heritage. The word is Acadian (D), not Acacian. 1/2 of my ethnicity is from the French Canadian Nova Scotian Acadians. The other 1/2 is from France.

Glad you like the recipe that you have from Paul Prudhomme. Which one of his books is it from? I find his recipes wonderful, but with a lot of ingredients. Guess that's why they are so good. I usually try to think of a way to streamline them and I usually end up making things pretty much the way that the recipe is written. PS...Our grandparents were brother and sister! And did you know that it was Paul who recommended young Emeril (23 at the time) to take his place at Commander's Palace in New Orleans as Head Chef (Pre-Food TV)?

Oh, my. I think that I have gone way past Too Much Information. Sorry.

 

[Andy M.]

jmjslr:

I got the recipe from his first book, PP's Louisiana Kitchen, 1984. Picked it up at a flea market for $2.00. The recipes contain all the individual spices and herbs while his newer recipes call for his Magic Blends that he sells.

I've seen him on a few TV shows and have always been impressed with is instinctive understanding of the ingredients and the nuances of cooking.

I DID know the story of his recommending Emeril to replace him at CP.

 

[Constance]

Jmjsir, I have tasted and even cooked jambalaya with tomatoes, and I like it.

Where I lived, close to Napoleanville, and where my ex's grandfather and uncle lived, in Gonzales, they didn't use tomatoes, and that jambalaya was also delicious...just different. Grandpa Gonzales did a little farming on a small patch of high ground out in the swamp, but he didn't grow tomatoes, and I don't remember anyone else down there growing them either. In fact, I don't remember people having vegetable gardens at all. All I saw was lots of sugar cane and swamp.
Perhaps tomatoes don't do well there, and that's why they aren't used in ther cooking.
As you say, jambalaya is a flexible dish, and every cook has his own twist.
It's like putting okra in gumbo. Some people insist it must be in there, but in that area they didn't use it. Again...perhaps because they don't grow it there.

Just so you know what kind of place it was, my ex's uncle told me, "Don't you let le bebe be outside without you watching...the gators might get her."
Well, I thought he was just teasing a green young yankee...until one day while I washing dishes and looking out my window. I saw an alligator about 9 feet long making his way through my yard.
You'd better believe, "Le bebe" did not play outside without me watching.

 

[letscook]

Please post Paul Prudhomme jambalaya recipe.
Love this kind of food - I have done Emerils and a couple others and have been good, would like to try pauls recipe
thanks

 

[Andy M.]

Paul Prudhomme's Chicken and Tasso Jambalaya

 

[Constance]

Here's a recipe and info on Gonzales style jambalaya.

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/jambalaya-gautreau.html