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Traditional Jambalaya

Traditional Jambalaya takes some time, but the result isCajun comfort food in a bowl. Make a lot of it to have leftover to freeze for a rainy day when time is short. Jambalaya is better the next day because the flavor has a chance to marry.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Cajun
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 measuring cup
  • 2 large pot
  • Measuring spoons
  • 1 knife
  • 2 colander
  • 1 Large spoon
  • 1 medium bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice resistant starch
  • 1 cup frozen sliced okra
  • Vinegar for cleaning the okra
  • 1 lb. chicken beef or andouille sausage, sliced into disks
  • 2 Tbsp. oil
  • 2 cups onion chopped
  • 2 large stalks celery diced
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and diced
  • 4 tsp. garlic minced
  • 2 cans Rotel tomatoes. drained
  • 1 15- oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp. Creole seasoning I used Tony Cachere's
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp. Tabasco
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup fresh parsley chopped fine
  • Garnish: Chopped green onions

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the rice twenty-four hours before cooking to make it resistant to starch.
  • Pour the frozen okra into a colander.
  • Sprinkle some vinegar generously over the top of the okra to decrease the amount of the slimy liquid. If you do not like okra, you can leave it out.
  • Set the okra aside in the sink to soak and drain it.
  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the sausage in oil.
  • Add the onion, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic Sauté until the vegetables are soft.
  • Add the Rotel and crushed tomatoes.
  • Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Add the bay leaf, Creole seasoning, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Tabasco and Worcestershire,
  • Stir and cook for a few minutes.
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Stir.
  • Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low to simmer. Stir occasionally.
  • Add the chicken to the broth mixture. Sprinkle the top with a little more Creole seasoning for your taste.
  • Stir and simmer while you gather the remaining ingredients.
  • Peel the shrimp and remove the tails. Alternatively, you can use shrimp that is already prepared.
  • Place the shrimp in a bowl and cover with milk to soak. Soaking the shrimp in milk removes any fishy odors or smells from the shrimp. Let soak for about 30 minutes.
  • Drain the shrimp and rinse well.
  • Add the shrimp to the pot and stir.
  • Cook until the shrimp are no longer pink.
  • Rinse the okra very well. Take some time using your hands to do this. You want to ensure the vinegar is completely washed away; otherwise, your jambalaya will taste like vinegar.
  • Add the okra to the jambalaya pot and fold it so as not to crush it.
  • Prepare the parsley, rice, and green onions.
  • Add the parsley to the pot and stir.
  • Cook for 3 minutes.
  • Add the rice and stir, and cook for 3 minutes.
  • When the shrimp are cooked, serve into bowls and garnish with green onion.