Fat Tuesday: Shrimp, Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya - 5 stars

yes, you read the subject of this post correctly: i used shrimp AND chicken AND andouille sausage in my jambalaya! :) hey, it was fat tuesday that week, what can i say!? i spent longer than i care to admit researching jambalaya recipes in order to find one that seemed authentic, used seafood, poultry and pig. and boy, did that research pay off! it was my first time making jambalaya, and this was AMAZING.

the most obnoxious part of the recipe was peeling the shrimp. poor tony has had to listen to many, many rants about my dislike of peeling shrimp. i absolutely hate it! pre-peeled prawns are a bit more expensive, but i've decided my time is much more valuable than the few dollars i save when purchasing unpeeled prawns. additionally, shells are between 5-15% of the total weight when you purchase unpeeled prawns, so i'm not even saving as much money as thought. :-)

i needed shrimp stock for this recipe though, which requires shrimp shells to make. the recipe called for one lb of shrimp, but you really only need the shells from five or six shrimps to make the stock. in the future, i'd buy the 5 or 6 shrimps unpeeled, and the rest pre-peeled. :-)

the recipe was easy, and took maybe an hour and a half (post prawn peeling). i made it in my big dutch oven - starting on the stovetop, finishing in the oven. it was PERFECT. i am sure i've had jambalaya before, but it's never been memorable. this jambalaya had the perfect level of smoky spiciness; it was rich and moist and, well, intense! the flavors of it made my eyes roll back in my head when i took my first bite. in a good way. :-) i found the recipe in this blog.

i didn't make my own worcestershire sauce, and i did double the recipe so that we'd have lots of leftovers.

New Orleans Cuisine Recipe - Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya

Seasoning Mix (1/4 tsp Cayenne, 3/4 tsp White Pepper, 1 tsp Kosher Salt, 1/4 tsp Thyme, 1/2 tsp Rubbed Sage, 1/4 tsp Dried Basil, 1/2 tsp Black Pepper)

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Diced Andoullie
1/2 Cup Diced Onion
1/2 Cup Diced Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
1/2 Cup Diced Fresh Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
3/4 Cup Enriched Long Grain Rice
1 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock with a Shrimp shell infusion (see above)
1 Tbsp Homemade Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp Minced Fresh Garlic
1/2 Cup Diced Chicken (Cooked or raw)
1 1/2 Cup Medium Shrimp (I use Louisiana)
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
3 Tbsp Finely Sliced Green Onions

Since I'm using Chicken and Shrimp I want my stock to have those flavors, real simple. I heat up the right amount of Chicken Stock and add some raw Shrimp shells to it and simmer for about 15-20 minutes! It gives it a quick little infusion.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together the Holy Trinity (Onion, Celery, Bell Pepper).

In a Cast Iron Dutch Oven, melt the butter over medium heat, add the Andouille and cook until it just starts to brown. Add 1/2 of the Holy Trinity, cook until the vegetables are tender (nothing smells better than rendering Andouille with the Holy Trinity). Add the diced Tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add the Tomato Sauce and cook for another minute. Add the Rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the Stock, the remaining Holy Trinity, Seasoning Mix, Worcestershire, and the Garlic. Taste the broth for seasoning, particularly salt. Add the Chicken, stir well and put the pot in the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. After the twenty-five minutes stir in the raw Shrimp, Parsley, and Green Onions, place back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the Shrimp are cooked through. Serve with French Bread and your favorite Beer.