ROANOKE – Shawanda Marie from New Orleans Creole Story Pot is back in the Daytime Kitchen to help us celebrate International Creole Heritage Month by teaching us about the history and stories behind Jambalaya. Get the details on this delicious recipe and more!
Creole Jambalaya
(pronounced JUM-buh-LIE-ya)
Servings: 6 servings
In a nutshell, you brown your meat, sauté your vegetables, add your rice, add your liquid, bring to a boil, give it a stir, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
If you'd like a more specific plan, try this:
Slice a pound of smoked sausage into half-moon shapes about a quarter- to a half-inch thick.
Brown sausage in a little oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Dice one onion, three ribs of celery and one small bell pepper.
Once sausage is browned, add diced vegetables and sauté until brown, 8-10 minutes.
Add two tablespoons of tomato paste and sauté, stirring, until brown.
Add two cups of white rice, a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper (more for more kick), a pinch of fresh or dried thyme and a tablespoon of salt, and stir until rice is incorporated into vegetable mixture. Add one quart of beef or chicken stock. Stir to break up any rice clumps.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover pot. Cook for 20 minutes (resist the temptation to lift the lid). Check at 20-minute mark. If there is still a lot of liquid, re-cover and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Stir to fluff rice, and add a handful of chopped fresh Italian parsley.
Return lid to pot and allow to rest for 5 minutes. If any liquid remains, it should be absorbed during the rest period. If you want, this would be the time to fold in cooked chicken meat that's been pulled apart or roughly chopped into bite-size chunks. Feel free to serve in bowls, garnished with minced green onion, along with hot French bread and a fresh salad.