Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a Creole word which originates from Louisiana’s rural south. Jambalaya is also very similar to the Spanish dish Paella. The origin of the name “jambalaya” is uncertain, and there are many theories surrounding it. Some think jambalaya as the combination of the French word “jambon” meaning ham, the French article “à la” meaning “in the style of” and “ya”, thought by some to be of West African origin meaning rice, though “ya-ya” is also an old Creole patois phrase meaning “everybody’s talking at once.” In any case, I’m just glad it’s here! This recipe comes from the Good Taste magazine.

Serves 8
2 teaspoons olive oil
800g green tiger prawns, peeled with tails intact
4 chorizo sausages, chopped into small chunks
1 onion finely chopped
2 celery sticks sliced diagonally
1 red pepper deseeded and sliced
1 green pepper deseeded and sliced
2 garlic cloves sliced
1 green chili deseeded and thinly sliced
400g (2 cups) basmati rice
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
625ml (2.5 cups) chicken stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 dried bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

Method:
Heat the oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add prawns and cook 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add chorizo to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes and transfer to a plate. Add onion to the pan and cook 5 minutes or until golden. Add celery, peppers, garlic and chili. Cook 3-4 minutes. Add chorizo, rice, tomato, stock, Worcestershire, tobasco, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes. Top with prawns. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes to stand. Top with parsley and serve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I found that I needed to add a bit more stock as the rice was still a bit too crunchy. Check after cooking 10 minutes to see if more stock is needed. I love dishes that are all cooked in one pan! If you think there might be too much heat then reduce the amount of Tabasco sauce.