Jambalaya is a typical dish of Cajun cuisine and its roots lie in the traditions of the French-Canadian emigrants who settled in Louisiana. Influenced by Caribbean and South American spices and fragrances, jambalaya is a versatile and tasty dish, which immediately makes us think of New Orleans. You can easily customize it and serve on the occasion of a particular party or dinner.
Ingrediants
Essentials:
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (if necessary you can use that of seeds or butter)
- 1 white or golden onion
- 2-3 stalks of celery
- 2-3 peppers of various colors (of which at least one is green)
- 1-2 hot peppers (adjust quantity according to your taste and variety)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 750 ml of vegetable or chicken broth
- 400 ml of rustic tomato sauce
- 350 g of uncooked rice (classic or wholemeal)
- Spices (salt, pepper, thyme, cayenne, paprika, bay leaf, chili powder, lemon, Tabasco sauce, etc.)
Meat (2-3 of your choice):
- 1 / 2-1 kg of chicken thighs or breast, boneless and skinless
- 1 / 2-1 kg of smoked sausages and / or chorizo
- 1 / 2-1 kg of smoked ham
- 1 / 2-1 kg of prawns, gutted
Steps
Step 1. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and peel and gut the stems
The jambalaya includes many ingredients, all put together in one pot to let the various flavors blend together to create something surprising. To achieve such a result, you need to respect the right times and organize yourself in advance. Instead of rushing to chop the ingredients as you put them in the pot, do as the great chefs prepare everything you need before you start cooking. For the jambalaya you can use the combination of meats you prefer, as long as you cut everything in advance:
- Chicken: cut it into pieces slightly larger than a bite;
- Sausages: cut into rounds about 1 cm thick;
- Smoked ham: cut it into cubes the size of a mouthful;
- Shrimp: must be defrosted, shelled and eviscerated.
Step 2. Dice the golden onion, 2-3 celery stalks and the green pepper
Onions, celery and green peppers form what is called the "Holy Trinity" of Cajun cuisine. These three aromatic ingredients are the basis of almost any typical Louisiana dish. You can change the quantities, but most cooks use roughly two parts of onion and one part of celery and green pepper. Cut them into cubes no larger than 1 cm.
- You can change the amount of the three ingredients to taste. Keep in mind that using more onions will result in a richer dish, which is why traditional cooks tend to use more than celery and green pepper.
- If necessary, you can substitute onions for shallots and use a yellow or red pepper, but Jambalaya is likely to taste a little sweeter.
Step 3. Heat two tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat
You need to use a large pot, preferably with a sturdy bottom. The oil should be hot, but don't wait for it to start smoking. Start cooking when you see it starting to ripple on the surface.
Step 4. Add the diced vegetables, half a teaspoon of salt and then mix
Salt should be added in small doses as you cook to stimulate the ingredients to release all their aromas.
The vegetables need to cook until the onion starts to turn transparent. While you wait dedicated to the next step to respect the timing of the recipe
Step 5. Finely chop the garlic and chillies to prepare to combine them with the "Holy Trinity"
Now that the base of the dish is complete, you can start customizing the jambalaya. Chop 1-2 hot peppers and 3-5 cloves of garlic, according to your personal taste. They must be half the size of the vegetables you have already cooked in the pot. Add the chillies and garlic to the stir-fry and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Arrange so that when you add the chillies and garlic, the onions, celery and peppers are at the right point of cooking (remember the onion must begin to turn transparent).
- In chili, the seeds are the hottest part, so you can skip some if you're worried about the end result.
Step 6. Add the meat, a pinch of salt and mix
Put all types of meat in the pot, keep only the shrimp aside. The meat must cook almost completely, use the chicken as a reference since it is the one that takes the longest to cook and it is easier to understand when it is ready (i.e. when it is no longer pink). This should take about 5-7 minutes, depending on the size of the individual pieces.
- If you want to use raw smoked sausage, consider cooking it partially in advance. When it is still slightly pink, remove it from the pot (the same one in which you will cook the jambalaya) and cook the "Holy Trinity" in the remaining fat on the bottom, then add the sausage again along with the rest of the meat.
- If the vegetables stick to the bottom of the pot, add another half a tablespoon of oil, let it heat for 10 seconds, and then stir in the meat.
Step 7. Heat 750ml to 1L of broth while the meat is cooking
You could add it cold, but you would stop cooking the jambalaya. It is best to reheat the broth before pouring it over the meat.
Step 8. Add the broth and tomato puree, then continue stirring until the liquid begins to simmer
The jambalaya must simmer: it must boil, but not in a lively way. If you have preheated the broth, it will come to a boil in seconds. Stir the ingredients with the wooden spoon and scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate any charred residue, which will give the jambalaya a dark, inviting color.
Step 9. Reduce the heat and add the spices while mixing well
This is the stage where you can actually customize the jambalaya to your taste. Spices can be mixed and matched in the quantities you prefer. If you don't know how to do this, you can buy a ready-made spice blend at the supermarket or take a cue from this example:
- Half a teaspoon of black, white, pink or cayenne pepper (you can use just one variety of pepper or combine them as you like, be generous when it comes to adding cayenne pepper)
- 1 bay leaf;
- Half a teaspoon of smoked paprika;
- 1 teaspoon of thyme or oregano (or half a teaspoon of both);
- Half a teaspoon of hot pepper;
- Another pinch of salt;
- Half a teaspoon of garlic or onion powder (or both).
Step 10. Add the rice, cover the pot and let the jambalaya simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally
Check the rice from the twentieth minute of cooking and stir it often to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. Slowly the rice should absorb all the liquid, giving the jambalaya a rich, creamy texture and concentrated flavor. If after 20-30 minutes the rice is not completely cooked but has already absorbed all the broth, add half a cup of water (about 100-120 ml) and finish cooking.
Do not leave the pot uncovered for a long time so as not to disperse the steam needed to cook the rice. Stir briefly every 3-4 minutes and immediately replace the lid
Step 11. Add the shrimp when the rice is almost cooked and cook in the covered pot
When you think the rice is almost ready, add the shrimp and cook until firm and a nice uniform pink color. While you wait, taste the jambalaya to find out if you need more salt or other spices.
Step 12. Serve the jambalaya piping hot with the hot sauce, spring onion and parsley
Many typical dishes of Cajun cuisine are accompanied by these three ingredients that diners can dose as they like. Sometimes the options also include lemon wedges. Of course you can decide according to your preferences, but keep in mind that with these ingredients you can reinforce the authenticity of your dish.
Advice
If you're short on time to cook, you can delegate the work to a slow cooker. Add all the ingredients at the same time and set the pot to "low" mode. After six hours you can serve your jambalaya
Warnings
- The chili and Tabasco sauce will spice up the jambalaya. Make sure there are no people among the diners who cannot eat spicy foods for medical reasons or pregnant women.
- The jambalaya will be hot so be careful as you may get burned.
