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View Full Version : How to cook Creole Jambalaya



Mike Henderson
01-22-2009, 12:47 AM
Some time back, I posted a link to a section of my web site showing how to make south Louisiana gumbo. A couple of people asked me to also show the making of Jambalaya.

Well, I made jambalaya today and took pictures of the process. You can see the details here (http://www.mikes-woodwork.com/Jambalaya.htm).

Everybody makes jambalaya differently - I expect some posting from other south Louisiana people talking about how they make jambalaya. You'll get a variety of opinions on how to make it, or a bunch of different varieties of Jambalaya. They're all good.

Mike

Ken Fitzgerald
01-22-2009, 1:01 AM
Thanks Mike.

I think that will be my Sunday afternoon dish to serve to my lovely wife when she returns Sunday evening from visiting in Illinois for 10 days.

Dewey Torres
01-22-2009, 1:30 AM
Well,
If I wasn't hungry before I am now!!!

What do I have downstairs to munch on hmmm????


Thanks Mike!

Chuck Saunders
01-22-2009, 8:07 AM
Hey, It's not just for breakfast anymore.
Looks yummy!

Jim Becker
01-22-2009, 11:29 AM
Geeze...I had to see that right before lunch time when I'm stuck on a conference call. LOL Yummy...that looks good!

Ben Franz
01-22-2009, 10:49 PM
That definitely looks good, Mike. Is there a reason you use Italian sausage instead of andouille? Just curious. I like to make a non-traditional Jambalaya without integrating the rice. It ends up soupier and I serve it over steamed rice. It's just my preference and purists will, I'm sure, say that it isn't Jambalaya unless the rice is cooked with everything else.

Mike Henderson
01-22-2009, 11:18 PM
That definitely looks good, Mike. Is there a reason you use Italian sausage instead of andouille? Just curious. I like to make a non-traditional Jambalaya without integrating the rice. It ends up soupier and I serve it over steamed rice. It's just my preference and purists will, I'm sure, say that it isn't Jambalaya unless the rice is cooked with everything else.
Two reasons I use Italian sausage instead of andouille.

1. Andouille brings a strong smoke flavor to the jambalaya - stronger than I like. Italian sausage brings a different flavor, one I find quite good.

2. It's really hard to get good andouille except in Louisiana (Bailey's and Jacob's in Laplace are good sources).

My aunt (who's quite Cajun) makes her jambalaya by cooking the rice separately then mixing the "sauce" with the rice. But she does it in the pot and not when she serves it. But there's no wrong way. Good food is universal. If it comes out well and people find it tasty, it's a good way of doing it.

My mother used to make a another, different rice dish - but similar in some ways to jambalaya - called "Dirty Rice". It's sort of a brown version of jambalaya - no tomato is used in it. Of course, she also made traditional jambalaya.

Mike

Scott Amerson
01-24-2009, 7:20 AM
Mike

Thanks for posting this recipe. Planning to make it for Sunday lunch. Could you give me an idea of how much thyme and saffron to start with.

Thanks

Scott

John Shuk
01-24-2009, 5:38 PM
I guess I need to get to the store tonite for tomorrows dinner.

Gordon LaVere
01-24-2009, 6:03 PM
Mike

Thanks for posting this recipe. Planning to make it for Sunday lunch. Could you give me an idea of how much thyme and saffron to start with.

Thanks

Scott


I didn't see the recipe posted can someone show my the link?
Disregard I found it and I'm making it next week.
Thanks

Jim Becker
01-24-2009, 8:56 PM
I had Professor Dr. SWMBO pick up ingredients this morning from Wegman's so I can put this, or something like it, on the menu for sometime next week... :D

Leigh Costello
01-29-2009, 11:07 PM
Okay, so we have been down with the flu, but are not swayed by the naysayers and I am seriously considering Jambalaya Costello style for the Super Bowl. My daughter who goes to Mizzou (and all of her friends) will just have to wait for a fresh batch next weekend. My recipe is a variation of oops I forgot to pick that up and Justin Wilson's version.

1 lb of Beef smoked sausage
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 or 4 tbsp of oil for sauteing (sic?)
2 or 3 medium onions, chopped (can use onion powder to equal)
2 cloves garlic, chopped and smashed (can use powder to equal)
1-15oz can of Hunt's tomato sauce
2 c. water
1.5 c. white rice NOT INSTANT
Cayenne pepper to taste

Saute meats until chicken is cooked, add onions and garlic. Saute for a few minutes. Add tomato sauce and water, bring to a boil. Add rice and cayenne pepper, stir and cover. Lower heat to simmer until rice is cooked. This stuff is even better the next day.

To stretch, just use more water and rice.

Hope you like it, it's not traditional but we like it.:D

Vinny Miseo
01-30-2009, 1:58 AM
I lived in New Orleans for a little more than 5 years and became quite fond of cajun/creole cooking.

My favorite jambalaya that I like to make is from the Uglesich's cook book. They had quite the restaurant in NOLA, and it was famous among the locals.

Louisianna food and culture is so unique and special I am glad to have experianced it...

Laisse le bon temps rouler

Jim Becker
01-30-2009, 10:06 AM
On the menu for tonight!! I had Professor Dr. SWMBO pick up ingredients during last weekend's market run (I cook during the week) and tonight's the night! :)

Clara Koss
01-30-2009, 4:44 PM
some of the water can be substituted by a can of beer.... yum, it adds a taste that is great and the alcohol of course cooks out,,, safe for all ages... men that can cook are worth their weight in gold!!!!

Anthony Welch
01-30-2009, 6:27 PM
Mike, thanks for the recipe. I didn't have the peas to put in it and just added okra. Turned out fine.

Clara, try as I might, I couldn't get the beer to the skillet. The bottle was empty every time I tried. :D

Anthony

Jim Becker
01-30-2009, 8:31 PM
Oh, yum!!! This turned out GREAT!

108573

Mike, I based it on your recipe; sans the celery as we were out of it (used a little celery salt while simmering the chicken); used Andouille sausage anyway--you are right about the stronger flavor, but it was good; added a little bit of fresh garlic with the peppers and onions; added one can of kidney beans for my "color" rather than peas which I didn't have. Delicious! (And two meals worth left...LOL)

Jason Roehl
02-01-2009, 5:28 PM
Okay, the jambalaya is in the oven as I write. The leftover gumbo from last night is in the fridge!

I do have a couple comments. One, I need to work on that roux thing--I had never made one before last night, and I jumped the gun on adding the liquid from the boiled andouille, afraid I would burn the roux, so I guess I ended up with a "light roux", so to speak. I went the wet/oil route, next time I'm going to try a dry roux. The family liked it, so that's what really matters, although the andouille I was able to find was fairly spicy, so it was probably a tad hot for them (didn't bother me a bit).

Mike, I have to ask about the saffron. That was definitely not "on hand" for us, and not in the budget. I was surprised to see it in the recipe, though. I figure being the expensive spice that it is, that it would not commonly be in the repertoire of the typical (presumably economically-challenged) Creole or Cajun cook, but I'm no expert on Louisiana, so I truly don't know. Just wondering. I don't know if I've ever had anything flavored with saffron, so I wouldn't know what I'm missing--tasted just fine to me without.

Anyway, thanks for sharing!

Jim Becker
02-01-2009, 5:33 PM
Jason, while saffron does have "some kind of flavor", I've most often used it for color, such as with rice. I'm not sure exactly what it adds to Mike's recipe, but I put it in. We do keep some in our spice cabinet, carefully sealed and then wrapped in foil to keep light away. I've never asked Professor Dr. SWMBO about that arrangement, however... LOL

Jason Roehl
02-01-2009, 10:39 PM
Well, that settles it, Jim--it won't be in the next batch, either. I knew it was expensive, so I wasn't surprised when we found it at Meijer's--$15+ for 0.06 oz. I'll pass.

Oh, and the jambalaya was awesome, though my wife handed me two cans of "chili-ready" diced tomatoes, and I didn't smell the difference (chili powder) until they were in the pan. Not a bad flavor at all, it just means that I'll pay for it a little more tonight...:eek:

Mike Henderson
02-01-2009, 10:53 PM
Okay, the jambalaya is in the oven as I write. The leftover gumbo from last night is in the fridge!

I do have a couple comments. One, I need to work on that roux thing--I had never made one before last night, and I jumped the gun on adding the liquid from the boiled andouille, afraid I would burn the roux, so I guess I ended up with a "light roux", so to speak. I went the wet/oil route, next time I'm going to try a dry roux. The family liked it, so that's what really matters, although the andouille I was able to find was fairly spicy, so it was probably a tad hot for them (didn't bother me a bit).

Mike, I have to ask about the saffron. That was definitely not "on hand" for us, and not in the budget. I was surprised to see it in the recipe, though. I figure being the expensive spice that it is, that it would not commonly be in the repertoire of the typical (presumably economically-challenged) Creole or Cajun cook, but I'm no expert on Louisiana, so I truly don't know. Just wondering. I don't know if I've ever had anything flavored with saffron, so I wouldn't know what I'm missing--tasted just fine to me without.

Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Jason - the roux thing takes a bit of experience. The absolute worse thing is to burn it - taste terrible.

On safron, I agree that it's probably not an original ingredient because of the cost. It comes from the paella heritage but my mom certainly never used it - she'd have passed out when she saw the price. My wife likes the safron so that's why it's in the recipe. I'd probably leave it out - I don't taste it but my wife claims she can and likes the flavor.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. You can vary the recipe quite a bit and it'll still taste good.

Mike

Kevin Arceneaux
02-02-2009, 8:15 AM
This is a great way to make a roux, takes the learning curve out of making a roux, I use it as does most of my Uncles.

http://www.cajunsupermarket.com/product_info.php?products_id=479

Jason Roehl
02-02-2009, 8:56 AM
Thanks for the heads-up, Kevin, but I'm a die-hard DIY'er. As time passes, my wife and I move more and more towards homemade foods, and much less pre-fab stuff. I've also lived in a couple foreign countries and visited a number more, so I love trying new foods and learning how to make them (not that gumbo and jambalaya are new to me, I've certainly had them before). I'm sure that the more we make it, the more we'll stray from the recipe, too, to explore variations on the flavor.

Next on the "try" list, though, is the BACON EXPLOSION. :D http://www.bbqaddicts.com/bacon-explosion.html

Kevin Arceneaux
02-02-2009, 10:04 AM
Speaking of bacon.

For the best green beans, get some fresh and steam them. Right before they are ready, take them out and put them in a skillet with some bacon grease to finish them off.

I am the cook tonight for our quarters - making smothered steak over rice - I use sirloin. I will be glad when the bunkhouse is done and they get a caterer in here. While we have good cooks, it will be nice not to have to worry about cooking and cleaning.