jambalaya

This recipe was created in the Cajun/Creole style and served at a family gathering on August 7, 1977. We were unaware at the time that we were leading the rediscovery craze for New Orleans cuisine that followed the Worlds Fair and Expo in 1984 and the publication of Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen cook book that same year.

  • 3 oz wild rice
  • 6 tbsp virgin olive oil,
  • 2 cups long grain white rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 6 chicken bouillon cubes
  • 9 Italian sausages cut into ½” pieces
  • 6 chicken thighs
  • 6 chicken drumsticks
  • 1½ large onions, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ lb mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 green peppers, seeds remove and chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced,
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp dried tarragon leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ tsp ground cayenne chile
  • 1 tbsp low-sodium Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ lb cooked ham julienne
  • ½ lb medium shrimp, in shell
  • ½ lb cooked bay shrimp
  • 1 lb cooked crab claws and legs, cracked

In a small pan, cover the wild rice with water and boil 35 minutes. Drain for use in the next step.

In a large pan with lid, sauté the rice in the half of the olive oil until the rice “pops”, or looks opaque white. Then add the water and bouillon cubes. Let this steam for about 15 minutes, fluffing at regular intervals. Add small amounts of water as needed if the rice seems dry. The rice should not be quite done at this point.

In another large pan, sauté the Italian sausage, chicken pieces, onion, garlic, mushrooms, green peppers, and carrot in the remaining olive oil. Add the wine, tomatoes, pepper, thyme, tarragon, bay leaves, cayenne, and low-sodium Worcestershire, then cover and simmer until the tomatoes are done, about 15 minutes.

Add the rice, wild rice, and a little more wine or water, just enough to continue steaming the rice for about 5 minutes.

Place the raw shrimp on the rice on the mixture and steam until the shrimp are opaque and done, about another 5 minutes. Top this with the bay shrimp and crab meat; then steam another few minutes to heat the bay shrimp and crab, but do not let them cook further.

Serve with crusty French bread or New Orleans rolls, if you can find them.

Makes about 15 healthy servings.