Kicked-up Jambalaya

Dan’s adaptation of Emeril Lagasse’s Jambalaya recipe

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Kicked-up Jambalaya

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Cajun and Creole
Keyword Cooking, Dinner, Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author Daniel

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound medium shrimp peeled and deveined
  • creole seasoning see recipe for Emeril’s Creole seasoning
  • 8 pieces chicken deboned thighs work great
  • 1 pound andouille sausage cut into 1/2-inch coins
  • 1 pound smoke pork or ham hocks cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 cups onion chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 1 cup green bell pepper chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp thyme leaves chopped or 3/4 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 cup tomatoes chopped
  • 6 cups water or substitute with part or all chicken stock
  • 2 cups medium or long grain rice brown or even wild rice for earthier flavor
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup green onions chopped
  • 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley chopped

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat.
  • Season shrimp with Creole seasoning and sauté until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove shrimp and set aside until later.
  • Season chicken pieces with Creole seasoning. Add remaining olive oil to Dutch oven and when hot, add chicken pieces and sauté until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • Add sausage and cook until browned. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and saute until wilted–about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 1 to 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, cayenne and thyme and cook additional couple minutes–stirring.
  • Add tomatoes and water (or chicken stock) and return chicken pieces to pot. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
  • Add rice to pot, stir well and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Add shrimp, green onions and parsley to Dutch oven, mixing carefully, and continue to cook, covered, for another 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Note: Chopped onion, celery and bell pepper (2:1:1) make up the “holy trinity” of Southern cooking. Add 1/2-1 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper and saute with “holy trinity” for color and sweetness.

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