Jambalaya

Filed in archive Recipes , Traditions on September 27, 2007

Should it be described as a Creole dish or as a Cajun dish?
Do Jambalaya's origins lie in Spain, West Africa or France?
Tomatoes or no tomatoes?

To answer these questions, you have to sort through loads of information.

In a nutshell, Jambalaya is most commonly believed to have evolved from the Spanish dish Paella, but it is also amazingly similar to an African dish called Jollof rice. The word "jambalaya" is thought to have come from the French words for with, "à la," and ham, "jambon," combined with the African word for rice, "ya." A basic distinction between Creole Jambalaya and Cajun Jambalaya is the addition of tomatoes, which makes it Creole.




Jambalaya is a very versatile dish. It can be made from various combinations using chicken, shrimp, ham, pork, duck, oysters, crayfish, tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic and peppers. The one compulsory ingredient that makes a dish Jambalaya, is rice.

I have two favorite versions. One is a Creole Jambalaya made with shrimp and ham, and the other is a Cajun Jambalaya made with smoked sausage or Andouille and chicken.

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya
from Louisiana Real and Rustic by Emeril Lagasse

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne
1 pound andouille, chorizo, or other smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/2 pounds boneless white and dark chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 bay leaves
3 cups medium-grain white rice
6 cups water
1 cup chopped green onions

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles.
Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles.
Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat evenly. Add the water, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
Stir in the green onions and serve.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

(one note: I found using 5 cups water is plenty, and I lower the heat when I add the rice so it doesn't burn on the bottom)