With family recipes dating back over a century, many cooks are very passionate about what constitutes an “authentic” jambalaya and exactly which ingredients do (or do not) belong. It is not unheard of for some of these discussions to sometimes lead to a just as impassioned argument between otherwise friendly, easy-going people. Jambalaya is a big deal!
To generalize, it is a robust cornucopia of seasoned meats, oftentimes seafood, and an assortment of diced colorful veggies, all of which are nestled within and cooked among spicy, flavorsome, comforting white rice. There is nothing better to feed a crowd, and that is a good thing because it is nearly impossibly to make a batch for fewer than a dozen or more.
Choices of protein, as well as specific seasonings, sauces or cooking methods vary between recipes, but jambalaya falls under two main categories: It is either “brown” or “red,” shorthand-speak for Cajun or Creole, respectively, and this “Creole-Cajun divide” centers around the tomato — the beautiful Creole tomato, a hallmark of so many Creole dishes.
Which is best — Creole or Cajun — will forever be debated, but Mark’s Creole version with sausage, chicken and shrimp is an aromatic one-dish-meal sensation that has been perfected over many years.
Overflowing with flavor and color, it is a veritable delight to the senses — all five of them!
Mark, my one-and-only (and much beloved) brother-in-law, knows how to do many things . . . one of which is how to entertain. With the help of my sister, his reliable sous-chef, he cooks up beautiful, restaurant-quality food on a regular basis. Whether for a crowd or a few, he has a seemingly endless repertoire of noteworthy dishes for any occasion. He makes whatever he creates look effortless, delivering funny one-liners or sharing hilarious family stories while humming a tune as he casually goes about all that is required to deliver the delicious menu he has decided to prepare.
For his jambalaya, he uses what he and my sister call the “Papa Bear Pot,” a beast of a dutch oven. Hey . . . the larger the pot, the more spectacular the presentation! And a jambalaya this beautiful deserves to be framed in an applause-worthy vessel.
Measuring in at twenty inches wide and almost nine inches deep, the Papa Bear Pot is an eighteen-quart Caldero/Dutch Oven and is just the thing for the big reveal once the lid is removed. Jambalaya is always garnished with something green before serving, and one of my favorites is Mark’s signature placement of two long green onions on either side of a whole jalapeño pepper, placed right in the center.
With both Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl only weeks away, this is the dish to serve if you are hosting a party. It does, however, freeze well, so cooking up a batch simply to stock your freezer is as good a reason as any to make a batch. Portioned properly, you will have the most luxurious fast food right at your fingertips to grab at your leisure. What could be better?
From tailgating to hosting a gussied up to-do, jambalaya will have everyone circling back for more.
Yields
Ingredients
Avocado oil, enough to cover bottom of pan
1 large or 2 small packages Conecuh sausage, cut into small rounds
1 1/2 pound chicken, deboned, skinless and cut into bite sized pieces
**2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
**2 large onions, chopped
4 bell peppers - include red, yellow and green, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups white rice
Creole/Cajun Seasoning, like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
Crystal Sauce (or hot sauce of choice)
Cayenne pepper
**Feel free to use more or less
Directions
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Prep. all vegetables and meats:
-Cut sausage into bite-sized rounds and set aside.
-Debone and cut chicken into bite sized pieces, season lightly with Creole/Cajun Seasoning and set aside.
-Deseed and chop peppers, peel and chop onions and chop celery.
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In a large Dutch oven or deep, heavy bottomed pan with a lid, pour oil just to coat and barely cover bottom.
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Heat oil in pan over medium, brown sausage and set aside.
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Keep the drippings from the sausage in the pan and cook seasoned chicken until almost cooked through. Set aside.
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In same drippings, saute all vegetables until tender, adding several shakes more of Cajun Seasoning while cooking.
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Add crushed tomatoes and Rotel, stirring to combine, and allow to cook 10 minutes over medium heat.
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Add sausage and chicken back in, and cook, covered, another 10 minutes, stirring often.
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Stir in chicken broth, along with a several dashes of Crystal and a pinch of cayenne. Once mixture is boiling, add rice and stir just to combine. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not over-stir at this point or rice will be mushy. If possible, leave cover on until you add shrimp.
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After 15 minutes of cooking, add shrimp (lightly seasoned with Creole Seasoning) and gently fold into rice. Replace cover and cook additional 5 minutes.
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Do not overcook! When the rice is done, it is done. Taste and adjust seasonings one last time before serving.
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Add a green garnish on the top like green onions or a jalapeño to make it pretty.
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Serve in bowls with French bread.
Cook's Notes
Seasoning: Make sure your favorite Creole/Cajun Seasoning has salt in the ingredients list, and do not be shy about using it. Because the rice soaks up quite a lot, it is important to add seasonings throughout the cooking process. Cooking each addition in the sausage drippings, from the chicken to the vegetables, adds layers of flavor you cannot get otherwise.
Conecuh Sausage: Many will say smoked Andouille sausage is what should be used for jambalaya, but not around here. The vast majority of chefs in our area overwhelmingly prefer Conecuh, believing it to be the best sausage in the world. In fact, in one of our local magazines, Mobile Bay Monthly, a renowned chef who moved here from out-of-state is quoted to say that the only people who prefer other types of sausage have simply never tasted Conecuh. The Conecuh sausage company has been in business since 1947 and is still family owned. Located just south of Montgomery, Ala in a town called Evergreen, which is in the heart of Conecuh County.
Shrimp: Fresh is great, but frozen shrimp make for easier, less time-consuming prep, and our taste tests prove previously frozen shrimp work just as well.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Emeril Lagasse has a recipe for vegetarian jambalaya in which he adds eggplant and additional vegetables. I think the addition of a smoked paprika is needed, especially while browning your onions, in order to get a more authentic flavor. Quorn brand “chicken” pieces (vegetarian, not vegan) work well when added to Lagasse’s recipe if seasoned first with smoked paprika and Creole seasoning and then browned.
