72 replies to this topic

[fifi]

Bond Girl...

Don't let the exchange between Dave and I intimidate you. Jambalaya is not a big mystery. It is basically cooking rice with a lot of yummy additions. If the first one isn't something that would win a cooking contest, don't worry about it. It will still be delicious. Give it a go.

[FistFullaRoux]

Edited to say - Never mind. I just read your food blog. You sure you have enough?

Well, I certainly hope so. All in all, it's about a 5 gallon batch.

But yes, normally for us it's a 'what do I do with these leftovers?' type of dish.

=R=

Regarding the leftovers, email me for my address....

OK, just kidding. Where did you order the andouille and tasso from?

[ronnie_suburban]

Regarding the leftovers, email me for my address....

OK, just kidding. Where did you order the andouille and tasso from?

I got both items at a small, local grocery chain here in Chicago called Treasure Island.

The tasso and some of the andouille were made by French Market Foods in Lake Charles, LA and the rest of the andouille was made by Thibodeaux's Cajun Foods in Opelousas, LA.

=R=

[Bond Girl]

Fifi, thanks for the recipe and the encouragement. I am going trying a basic version with just shrimps tomorrow when I have more time. By the way, do you guys typically just use Cayenne in cajun cooking ? Or do you go with a mixture of different chilis just to get it into a more interesting flavor?

[FistFullaRoux]

Fifi, thanks for the recipe and the encouragement. I am going trying a basic version with just shrimps tomorrow when I have more time. By the way, do you guys typically just use Cayenne in cajun cooking ? Or do you go with a mixture of different chilis just to get it into a more interesting flavor?

Not usually chilis involved with it. At least not the homestyle version. Salt and ground cayenne. I don't think my mom even uses black pepper. Ever. I, of course, do.

The occasional jalapeno is not unheard of, but I think a milder chili would lend itself nicely. I'm thinking substitute a bell pepper with maybe half of an anaheim, depending on how you like your heat. A little chipotle could work, the smoky flavor would go well with the shrimp. You want to stay away from the mega peppers (anything hotter than a jalapeno, basically). The technique spreads the base flavors into every grain of rice. If every grain of rice is hot, then there is no respite, and it can get very very intense. Voice of experience. Make it even a little milder than you think it should be. The heat will build with each bite, and you want to be able to taste it.

[Bond Girl]

Advice well heeded. My friends mkes fun of me that whenever i don't like something, my remedy is to dump in the chili.

[foodpsycho]

Its good in place of any other meat in bean or legume soups. Split pea, navy bean, garbanzo, lentil etc.

[fifi]

I just had to make jambalaya tonight. Ronnie Suburban's food blog got to me.

The only andouille I could find at my local grocery was Aidell's. I was dubious. It is made in California for chrissakes. That and a little package of flash frozen shrimp (the best to get if you don't meet the boat) and I was off. Actually, the Aidell's wasn't half bad. It had just the right level of seasoning and smokiness. It was the perfect counterpoint to the shrimp so I would suggest using that combination. I had about 22 ounces of meat total and used the quantities I gave above. I decided not to do the tomato thing this time.

One warning... Use a heavy pot. I used one of my Le Creuset and still had a little crusting of the rice on the bottom. (Not an altogether bad thing. I have been known to complain about that then scrape it off and hoard it for myself.) But then, I will never get used to this electric stove.

Let us know how it goes, Bond Girl.

[robyn]

I think I am going to try my hand at a Jamalaya.  Do any one of you have a basic recipe? How much sausage to rice ratio? And do you have to chop them or you can juts slice them?  And, what else is in there besides red beans, rice, tomatos, celery, onions and garlic?  Do you put cayenne or roast chili pepper?  And, are there any cajun seasoning required?

Here is a basic recipe - not guaranteed authentic - but not copyrighted either. Off the back of a pack of sausages. It's good - and when I play with it - it gets better

6 sausage links - sliced into bite sized pieces. Brown in stockpot or Dutch oven - remove and reserve drippings.

2 boneless chicken breasts (about 12 oz.) - washed and dried and cut into 1/2" cubes - brown in sausage drippings - adding a little peanut oil if necessary. Remove.

Saute 1 medium diced onion, 2 diced celery stalks, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 diced bell pepper in the drippings until cooked through.

Add sausage and chicken to the pot. Add 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce and 1 28 ounce can or box of diced peeled tomatoes (I use the box - Pomi brand).

Add 1 tsp. file powder - and 1 tbsp. cajun spice blend (I use Emeril's Baby Bam - long story why). Simmer over low heat for about an hour. Then add hot sauce to taste. Serve over steamed rice.

[robyn]

I think I am going to try my hand at a Jamalaya. Do any one of you have a basic recipe? How much sausage to rice ratio? And do you have to chop them or you can juts slice them? And, what else is in there besides red beans, rice, tomatos, celery, onions and garlic? Do you put cayenne or roast chili pepper? And, are there any cajun seasoning required?

P.S. Forgot my handwritten notes on the back of the card. Add some white wine of your liking to the pot before you simmer. And thin the sauce out with chicken broth to taste.

[fifi]

Hmmm... that sounds more like some kin folk to sauce piquante. Very good stuff. The essence of jambalaya is the rice being cooked with the ingredients. The worchestershire is also another tip off. BTW... The combination of worchestershire and tomato is what I believe is at the root of Brennan's turtle soup deliciousness. Brennan's turlte soup is one of the most delicious and haunting foods on the planet. Bond Girl... Try this one.

[Dave the Cook]

I'm with fifi. Your recipe sounds great, Robyn, but it's not really jambalaya . . .

. . . unlike what I, too, had for dinner. Plans for pizza fell through, and I found myself with a link of Italian sausage, an equal amount of smoked pork sausage and a couple of boneless chicken breasts. What the hell, I thought. Maybe it's meant to be. The chicken would have to stand in for the shrimp.

I did go the tomato route, and like Robyn, I used a little Sauvignon Blanc that Mrs. Dave didn't find to her liking (the source of much of my cooking wine). This deglazed the pan after browning the sausage and chicken. I retained some of the juice from the tomatoes, and about two cups of stock for a cup and a half of raw rice (for the record, it came out just a bit soupy, so fifi had it right, I think). I compensated for the lack of true andouille by adding more cayenne than usual, and some thyme and black pepper -- like FFR, I'm not sure there's any such thing as too much black pepper. To me, it gives the cayenne screech a nice corresponding bass note.

It was really good. It confirmed that with a little flexibility, lots of things qualify as jambalaya. But it also confirmed for me that the best combination remains shrimp and andouille.

[fifi]

Dave, you are reminding me of a jambalaya that I made one time the day after a party. There was some leftover white wine hanging around. There were also some cocktail sausages that were pretty good, close to andouille in seasoning. Adding the leftover boiled shrimp didn't hurt either. Anyway, I used the leftover white wine for just about most of the liquid. That was a kickass jambalaya. We ate it for breakfast.

Keep in mind that the origins of jambalaya are to stretch ingredients, maybe leftovers, to make a meal.

[Bond Girl]

I used a combination of crushed tomatoes and worcester sauce in my Gumbo recently. Actually this Jambalaya recipe seemed like what I would do for a Gumbo wiithout the dark roux, and instead of the chicken, I put in seafoods like shrimps and oysters.

[Dave the Cook]

I recall stripping a couple dozen Durkee's pigs of their blankets one time when the larder was empty, and tossing them with the oysters picked out of leftover stew. It was great, but then, hunger is the best appetizer, right?

[fifi]

Yeah, Bond Girl, you are right. There are several themes that run through Cajun cooking. One of them is the use of "The Trinity", the combination of onion, celery, and bell pepper. Roux shows up in different guises but not in jambalaya. The use of cayenne and salt as opposed to black pepper and salt is also characteristic. Although, contemprary cooks are adding black and white pepper to the mix. Cajun cooking is fun because it so lends itself to improvisation and it seems to always come out delicious.

[dls]

I think I am going to try my hand at a Jamalaya.  Do any one of you have a basic recipe?

Check the recipes at these sites:

www.gumbopages.com
www.jfolse.com

Also good for mail order sources if certain products are not readily available in your area.

[whosrbud]

from Dave the Cook:

"Most people I know don't have enough cream gravy in their lives"

amen to that brother dave!! for the health conscious, read no further but cream gravy has to be one of the best-tasting-worst-thing-for-you's that's ever been slathered over a freshly baked biscuit. it's definitely in keeping with the au courrant "deep fried fat ball with a side of mayo" mentality which exists in this crimson-necked area of the south. one thing though; my memory of andouille sausages renders a reddish-tinged oil (not as red as chorizo but more than neese's) and that would seem to make for some pretty psychodelic "white" cream gravy...sort of a fluorescent peach color.

how much flour to how much andouille oil for the roux? and then, warmed heavy cream?

got a fresh batch of fluffy, flaky, biscuits coming out any minute now--just crying, pleading, moaning for a fat pat of unsalted and a coverlet of cream.

-b.g. gloot

[robyn]

I'm with fifi. Your recipe sounds great, Robyn, but it's not really jambalaya . . .

. . . unlike what I, too, had for dinner. Plans for pizza fell through, and I found myself with a link of Italian sausage, an equal amount of smoked pork sausage and a couple of boneless chicken breasts. What the hell, I thought. Maybe it's meant to be. The chicken would have to stand in for the shrimp.

I did go the tomato route, and like Robyn, I used a little Sauvignon Blanc that Mrs. Dave didn't find to her liking (the source of much of my cooking wine). This deglazed the pan after browning the sausage and chicken. I retained some of the juice from the tomatoes, and about two cups of stock for a cup and a half of raw rice (for the record, it came out just a bit soupy, so fifi had it right, I think). I compensated for the lack of true andouille by adding more cayenne than usual, and some thyme and black pepper -- like FFR, I'm not sure there's any such thing as too much black pepper.  To me, it gives the cayenne screech a nice corresponding bass note.

It was really good. It confirmed that with a little flexibility, lots of things qualify as jambalaya. But it also confirmed for me that the best combination remains shrimp and andouille.

I spent almost my whole adult life in Miami - what do I know .

A question. My husband and I usually cook for just the two of us. So we like to make pots of stuff that we can eat at multiple meals (like tonight we're having white chili we made a couple of days ago - a big pot will be about 3 meals for us). If you put the rice in the pot in something like my recipe - does it reheat ok?

By the way - commercial plug (for no particular reason other than I like it) - the sausage I use is andouille sausages by Amy. They're chicken sausages - relatively low fat - relatively low salt - nice spicing (in other words - it's something I can use for everyday cooking without killing my husband - he has high blood pressure - and I'd hate to undo the effect of the drugs he has to take with my cooking). Robyn

[robyn]

I'm with fifi. Your recipe sounds great, Robyn, but it's not really jambalaya . . .

. . . unlike what I, too, had for dinner. Plans for pizza fell through, and I found myself with a link of Italian sausage, an equal amount of smoked pork sausage and a couple of boneless chicken breasts. What the hell, I thought. Maybe it's meant to be. The chicken would have to stand in for the shrimp.

I did go the tomato route, and like Robyn, I used a little Sauvignon Blanc that Mrs. Dave didn't find to her liking (the source of much of my cooking wine). This deglazed the pan after browning the sausage and chicken. I retained some of the juice from the tomatoes, and about two cups of stock for a cup and a half of raw rice (for the record, it came out just a bit soupy, so fifi had it right, I think). I compensated for the lack of true andouille by adding more cayenne than usual, and some thyme and black pepper -- like FFR, I'm not sure there's any such thing as too much black pepper. To me, it gives the cayenne screech a nice corresponding bass note.

It was really good. It confirmed that with a little flexibility, lots of things qualify as jambalaya. But it also confirmed for me that the best combination remains shrimp and andouille.

P.S. I'm not sure anyone has yet mentioned using the sausage in a low country boil (the southern equivalent of a New England boiled dinner - but - in my opinion - better). Easiest thing in the world. Bring 3 quarts of water to boil in big pot. Add bag of shrimp/crab boil. Add 1 pound sliced sausage - cook 5 minutes. Add 6 ears corn - I cut them in half - frozen is ok - cook 5 minutes. Add 2 pounds unpeeled shhrimp. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Discard seasoning bag. Simple as anything - and quick too. Robyn

[Dave the Cook]

how much flour to how much andouille oil for the roux? and then, warmed heavy cream?

I vary the fat/flour ratio based on whether I'm using whole milk (1:1), half-and-half (3:2) or cream (2:1). I admit that I always eyeball it, and that I often have to adjust with additional liquid, because I like to let the roux brown a little, which reduces its thickening power (and mitigates the pink factor you mention). You can add the dairy warm or cold; some people think that you have to add cold to hot or vice versa, but if you do a gradual, whisk-enabled addition, I don't think it makes any difference.

[Dave the Cook]

A question. My husband and I usually cook for just the two of us. So we like to make pots of stuff that we can eat at multiple meals (like tonight we're having white chili we made a couple of days ago - a big pot will be about 3 meals for us). If you put the rice in the pot in something like my recipe - does it reheat ok?

By the way - commercial plug (for no particular reason other than I like it) - the sausage I use is andouille sausages by Amy. They're chicken sausages - relatively low fat - relatively low salt - nice spicing (in other words - it's something I can use for everyday cooking without killing my husband - he has high blood pressure - and I'd hate to undo the effect of the drugs he has to take with my cooking). Robyn

I like reheated rice dishes. Two caveats: rice seems to absorb additional liquid as it cools, so it might be a little soggy. I don't mind this a bit, but some might. Careful reheating (with a bit of additional liquid) mitigates a lot of this. Second, in my opinion, green bell peppers do not benefit from an overnight layover in the fridge (they turn sour), so if I think I'll have leftovers, I use red ones instead.

I've seen Amy's around here somewhere. I'm gonna try 'em, for no particular reason other than your recommendation, though I'm suspicious of porkless andouille.

Finally, the low-country boil is a terrific idea. Thanks.

[robyn]

A question.  My husband and I usually cook for just the two of us.  So we like to make pots of stuff that we can eat at multiple meals (like tonight we're having white chili we made a couple of days ago - a big pot will be about 3 meals for us).  If you put the rice in the pot in something like my recipe - does it reheat ok?

By the way - commercial plug (for no particular reason other than I like it) - the sausage I use is andouille sausages by Amy.  They're chicken sausages - relatively low fat - relatively low salt - nice spicing (in other words - it's something I can use for everyday cooking without killing my husband - he has high blood pressure - and I'd hate to undo the effect of the drugs he has to take with my cooking).  Robyn

I like reheated rice dishes. Two caveats: rice seems to absorb additional liquid as it cools, so it might be a little soggy. I don't mind this a bit, but some might. Careful reheating (with a bit of additional liquid) mitigates a lot of this. Second, in my opinion, green bell peppers do not benefit from an overnight layover in the fridge (they turn sour), so if I think I'll have leftovers, I use red ones instead.

I've seen Amy's around here somewhere. I'm gonna try 'em, for no particular reason other than your recommendation, though I'm suspicious of porkless andouille.

Finally, the low-country boil is a terrific idea. Thanks.

I buy the Amy andouille sausages from Costco - double pack of 7 each. They freeze well - so I can pop out a couple to put in scrambled eggs and the like. Can't remember exactly what they cost - it's a little less than $1/link best of my recollection. They are also available in other varieties (like breakfast sausages) through the Williams Sonoma catalogue. I am not fond of ordering perishable non-frozen food items mail order for most of the year here in Florida (stuff arrives warm - and I have to throw it away). If you find some other sources - let me know.

You won't get the same taste from a non-pork sausage as a pork sausage. Or from a relatively low salt sausage as a high salt sausage. But I think the Amy's sausage does about the best you can do (and - when you eat it - you're not saying to yourself - boy - I wish I had the real thing). I do a lot of cooking for my husband - who has high blood pressure - for my father-in-law - who has congestive heart failure - and for me - and I don't much like the taste of overpowering salt. However we all like spicey hot - and this product works in that regard.

Try the Baby Bam too if you can find it. I got to it in a funny way. A couple of holidays ago - Emeril put out a "kid's cooking kit". A quart sized non-stick Emeril/Allclad quality 2-handled pot with lid - 3 cooking utensils with short handles (great for small pots) - a bunch of Baby Bam - and a cookbook. Think it retailed originally for about $50 - but it wound up on close out at Linens and Things for $7.99. Hard to go wrong for $7.99 (particularly with one of those $5 off $15 coupons) - so I bought it.

By the way - where do you live/work? Robyn

[Jason Perlow]

I like reheated rice dishes. Two caveats: rice seems to absorb additional liquid as it cools, so it might be a little soggy. I don't mind this a bit, but some might. Careful reheating (with a bit of additional liquid) mitigates a lot of this. Second, in my opinion, green bell peppers do not benefit from an overnight layover in the fridge (they turn sour), so if I think I'll have leftovers, I use red ones instead.

I am actually of the opinion that Jambalaya should not be eaten on the day you make it. Its much better tasting on the second day, when the rice has had a chance to absorb a lot of the flavors in the liquid.

[Mayhaw Man]

I am actually of the opinion that Jambalaya should not be eaten on the day you make it. Its much better tasting on the second day, when the rice has had a chance to absorb a lot of the flavors in the liquid.

I find that that is true of any dish that has a fair amount of pork fat piled into it. It is particularly true of Red Beans, which are always better the next day.

[Dave the Cook]

Try the Baby Bam too if you can find it. I got to it in a funny way. A couple of holidays ago - Emeril put out a "kid's cooking kit". A quart sized non-stick Emeril/Allclad quality 2-handled pot with lid - 3 cooking utensils with short handles (great for small pots) - a bunch of Baby Bam - and a cookbook. Think it retailed originally for about $50 - but it wound up on close out at Linens and Things for $7.99. Hard to go wrong for $7.99 (particularly with one of those $5 off $15 coupons) - so I bought it.

By the way - where do you live/work? Robyn

I acquired my only piece of All-Clad in a similar manner. It was part of a gift package that included a copy of Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. The pan -- a two-quart, short-handled saucepan -- has a commemorative inscription on the bottom. It's a piece I would never have purchased on my own, but I do press it into service from time to time.

I've never been much of a Bam fan, and sometimes I find Emeril's continual reliance on it to be unworthy. OTOH, a couple of years ago, I got the bright idea to make up a batch of seasoning mixes, bottle them with pretty labels, and send them out as Christmas presents. The first two, a barbecue rub and a chili powder, were easy. For the third, I hit on the idea of creating a Cajun mix that could adapt to a variety of dishes, depending on the addition of certain herbs and additional spices. I took out a calculator and Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen, and, after springing the binding on the book with all the page flipping, finally arrived at a formula plus a group of additions (one set for fish, one for chicken, one for beef, etc) that seemed close enough to universal to actually be useful. Quite excited at this point, I made up about three pounds of it, named it Basic Black (a recipe in the accompanying recipe book was for blackened fish), and sent portions off to 32 of my closest friends. Believe it or not, it took me until about Easter to realize that all I had really done was reinvent Bam.

Having said all that, if I see Baby Bam (around Atlanta, btw), I'll pick it up.

[fifi]

I have finally settled on Emeril's Rustic Rub as my favorite "BAM!". I have gotten samples of Prudhomme's seasonings and they are very good, too. But for that quart jar of handy seasoning mix that I use for lots of things, Rustic Rub it is. Actually, it has become my favorite rub for pork butt before smoking. I buy the big Tone's bottles of spices at Sam's for these ventures. Otherwise, you could go broke. And, how bad could Tone's be? I have seen them on shelves in various chef's kitchens on cooking shows.

The andouille and shrimp jambalaya that I made is great as a leftover. I will munch on it for another day before I freeze it in single portions. I do find that I have to add a sprinkling of water to reheat.

[Dave the Cook]

Just this morning I recalled one of my favorite andouille applications: as the centerpiece for what was perhaps the best kolache I ever ate.

[ronnie_suburban]

I am actually of the opinion that Jambalaya should not be eaten on the day you make it. Its much better tasting on the second day, when the rice has had a chance to absorb a lot of the flavors in the liquid.

I find that that is true of any dish that has a fair amount of pork fat piled into it. It is particularly true of Red Beans, which are always better the next day.

Was certainly true of the batch of jambalaya I made this week.

=R=

[hwilson41]

Just this morning I recalled one of my favorite andouille applications: as the centerpiece for what was perhaps the best kolache I ever ate.

It (andouille) is also a nice kick in the butt for bland scrambled eggs . One item I've tried in jambalaya with great success (to me) is duck breast instead of chicken. Usually, I use bacon drippings for browning the andouille, but duck fat adds a whole new dimension to the sausage and shrimp. And the contest over who gets the leftovers has been known to incite minor riots .

THW