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Thursday, June 18, 2009

Jambalaya

Even snap peas fresh from the Farmer's Market couldn't make this Jambalaya photograph better. Don't hold that against it. This is one of my favorite fast, fake recipes. I promised myself I'd stop actually putting the word "fake" in the recipe titles because most of them are simplified versions of already known dishes. When I worked at The Still Life in Fremont I had to come up with tons of soup ideas. With the help of the awesome book Culinary Artistry, I figured out that any great combination of flavors can be turned into a simple version. The great combo in Jambalaya is tomatoes, rice, bell peppers, seasonings, and Andouille sausage. Traditionally, there would be other proteins (chicken, shrimp, ham), but this is a fast home version.

Jambalaya

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red or green bell pepper, cut bute-sized
3 or 4 Andouille sausages, sliced (It's a little like kielbasa, so you can substitute anything else that's smoky and spicy. Aidells makes a brand that is in a lot of stores around here.)
1 recipe of our easy Spanish Rice which is:
1 cup white rice
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup water
1 onion, diced
1T oregano
1t garlic powder
1T cumin
1T chili powder
smidge of cinnamon & cayenne
1T butter
  • Saute the onion (in a little oil) in a smallish pot with a good lid.
  • When the onions have just started to brown, add the garlic, peppers, and sausage and saute until the edges are starting to brown. Most Andouille that I've seen is pre-cooked so it won't need a lot of time here. If you're using raw sausage, just cook it a little longer
  • Add the rice and sprinkle in all the spices (no salt) and saute until you're worried they're sticking to the pot.
  • Stir in the butter, water, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • I know that rice usually has a strict time for cooking and you're not supposed to take the lid off, but I find that with all the added extras that doesn't work quite as well. I sneak a peak after 20 minutes, give it a little stir and then usually cook it for about 5 minutes more.
  • When it's finished, add salt to taste. I like a dollop of sour cream, but that's optional (and not traditional).
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