Jambalaya is a dish that originated in New Orleans, USA. It’s a kind of mix-and-match made from all the leftovers in the fridge. Jambalaya is a fabulous and tasty recipe full of the flavors of the Deep South.
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Jambalaya is one of the best-known dishes of Louisiana cooking. Rice, meat, seafood and vegetables all cook in the same pot, and the result is spicy, warming and just messy enough. It works as a weeknight dinner, but just as well for a bigger crowd, since one pot goes a long way.
The history of jambalaya: France, Spain and West Africa
The dish was born in Louisiana during the colonial era, when French, Spanish and West African food cultures mixed. The Spanish had paella, where rice cooks in the same pan with meat and vegetables. In West Africa, especially in the rice-growing regions of Senegal, people made one-pot rice dishes where meat, fish and spices cooked together with the rice. West Africans brought to Louisiana as enslaved people carried with them both the skill of growing rice and these dishes.
The French influence shows in the technique and the name. Nobody’s quite sure where the word comes from. One explanation is the Provençal word jambalaia, meaning a mishmash or a rice pilaf. The word first appeared in print in a Provençal poem in 1837. Another theory traces it to “jambon à la yaya”, ham with rice, from the French word jambon and a Yoruba word for rice.
Jambalaya first made it into a cookbook in 1878, in Alabama. In 1968, Gonzales, Louisiana, was declared the jambalaya capital of the world, and the town still holds a jambalaya festival every spring. Many people also know the name from Hank Williams’ 1950s song Jambalaya (On the Bayou).
Creole or Cajun?
There are two main styles. The Creole version is New Orleans city food, and it includes tomatoes, which is why it’s also called red jambalaya. The Cajun version comes from rural Louisiana, where tomatoes weren’t as easy to come by. It’s made without tomatoes, and its brown color comes from the meat browned on the bottom of the pot.
This recipe is closer to the Creole version, since it uses tomato paste. Turmeric gives the rice a nice yellow hue, a bit like saffron does in paella.
Build the flavor from the base
In Louisiana cooking, almost everything starts with the so-called holy trinity: onion, bell pepper and celery. They’re sautéed slowly in fat before anything else goes in. The onion turns sweet, the pepper softens, and that’s where the flavor base of the whole pot comes from.
In this recipe, the base is onion and bell pepper. For a more authentic flavor, add a couple of chopped celery stalks. Don’t rush this step – a few extra minutes in the pan really show in the end result.
How to make jambalaya
Once the base is sautéed, the chicken and smoked sausage go into the pot, followed by the spices and tomato paste. Next come hot water and rice. This is what sets jambalaya apart from gumbo, for example: the rice isn’t cooked separately but simmers in the liquid and soaks up all the flavors.
The shrimp go in at the very end, since they only need a minute. Cook them longer and they turn rubbery. The dish can stay a bit loose. It’s not a risotto, and it’s not a dry rice skillet either, but something in between.
What to serve with it
Jambalaya is a full meal on its own, so you don’t need many sides. In Louisiana it’s often eaten with cornbread, which nicely soaks up the juices. A fresh green salad or coleslaw balances the heat and adds a little crunch.
Put a bottle of hot sauce like Tabasco and a few lime wedges on the table too, so everyone can adjust the heat on their own plate. If you’re feeding a crowd, serve it straight from the pot in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy does it get?
The heat comes from the cayenne pepper, so it’s easy to adjust. Start with half a teaspoon and add more at the end if it needs more kick.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. The flavors come together when the pot sits overnight in the fridge. The rice soaks up liquid, so add a splash of water when reheating. NOTE: Add the shrimp only when you reheat.
How long does it keep?
Don’t keep leftovers when there’s shellfish in it.
Can I freeze it?
Don’t freeze shrimp twice.
What can I use instead of the sausage?
Traditionally, jambalaya is made with andouille, a smoked and spicy sausage. Any smoked sausage works, and so does smoked ham.
What wine goes with jambalaya?
Spicy, hot food calls for a fruity wine with little tannin. An off-dry Riesling tames the heat, and for red, a fruity Zinfandel or a light Grenache works. A cold beer is a perfectly good choice too.
Learn more about the topic:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambalaya
Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken cut into strips
- 200 g shrimp
- 2 bell peppers different colors
- 200 g smoked sausage or smoked ham
- 2 onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp turmeric for color
- 1 lime juice
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 6 dl boiling water
- 2.5 dl rice
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Chop the onions and bell peppers. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Dice the sausage (or ham).
- Heat the oil in a wok or a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions and peppers for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the chicken and fry until browned on the outside. Add the sausage (or ham) and fry for a couple of minutes.
- Season with tomato paste, turmeric, lime juice, cane sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes so the spices can come through.
- Pour the hot water into the pan and add the rice. Simmer over low heat, stirring now and then, for 15–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and has soaked up the flavors. If the jambalaya starts to dry out, add more water. It can stay fairly loose.
- Finally, add the shrimp, bring to a boil for a minute and serve.
Notes
- Add a couple of chopped celery stalks when sautéing the base for an authentic Louisiana flavor.
- Long-grain rice stays the fluffiest.
- Andouille is the traditional choice, but any smoked sausage works.
- You can add more heat at the end with Tabasco or cayenne.
Nutrition
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