Making A Basic Jambalaya

I am going to say this in my opinion Jambalaya is different from gumbo and étouffée an that reason is because of the way the rice is cooked in the dishes.

The etouffee and gumbo are cooked separately from the rice then the rice is used as a bed and then layed over the top of these entrees, jambalaya is made differently the rice is added to the dish by the way in which the rice is included.

When making the jambalaya the rice is cooked into the dish a long with the meats, vegetables and stock this method alone is very different cooking styles from both the gumbo and the etouffee.

Gumbo to me is really different from jambalaya and one main reason that makes them different is the base of the gumbo it's thicker and made with a roux and jambalaya used a stock or broth then is reduced down so there is no liquid in jambalaya the liquid is used for flavoring an cooking the rice.

Étouffée is something like the gumbo in terms of the sauce base the etouffee base is really like a stew but it's a little thicker and can be made with either a brown or blonde roux but just like the gumbo the rice is used as a bed and the etouffee is layered over the rice just like the gumbo.

Now I hope you see what I see and what I see is that etouffee , gumbo is more alike then the jambalaya and they almost have the same flavor profile either way there all really good and tasty.

To me Jambalaya is a great comfort food that is a perfect one pot meal that is loaded with flavor and it is basically made with some sort of meat, vegetables, poultry or shell fish that are blend together in the same dish.

There are 3 versions of jambalaya and all of them are very tasty if you asked me the first is the red version and that is the creole style. In this jambalaya you start off cooking this dish by first adding your meat, veggies and tomatoes followed by the seafood, rice and the stock.

Now the second version is the Cajun jambalaya and it is different from the first one the Cajun jambalaya is made with no tomatoes and it is brown in color and the way it gets that color is by cooking the meat in a cast iron pot cooking just until it's brown. The browning of the meat is what makes the color of this version of jambalaya then they remove the meat and then finish it off with some celery, onions and bell peppers that is sauté until it is soft then after the veggies they return the meat season it up and then add the stock let that cook for at least 45 minutes then the rice and let it simmer until the rice is cooked.

The third jambalaya is called a white jambalaya and it is less common than the other two, now what makes it different from the others is the way it is cooked. The meat and vegetables are cooked separately from the rice. At the same time, rice is cooked in a nice flavorable broth or stock when the rice is done it is added to the meat and vegetables stock then served.

To me the third version seems like a quick way to make something close to the real jambalaya but either way they taste very good. Now a lot of people say that jambalaya is in the same family as gumbos, etouffees but I disagree with that they are really nothing alike but I will explain that farther down in this blog... There are many myths about the making of jambalaya but after you read and try a few of these recipes I'm going to share with you then you can decide what one you want to believe.

There is a lot of people out there who love the taste and flavors of jambalaya but what they did not know was it can be made in three different versions the red which is the creole version of jambalaya and the Cajun jambalaya then we have the white jambalaya they are all really tasty but are made in very different ways I ask that you try these different types of jambalayas then if you like just one rate it for me .......One good thing about this is you will have a good time trying each and everyone of these great tasty entrees so try and enjoy the taste and the different flavors....Happy eating..

The first set of the trio of jambalaya we are going to talk about is the red jambalaya which is the creole version this is the version that uses tomatoes but some people use tomato paste I use both to give my jambalaya a more heartier flavor base and a nice clean pop our mouth and it gives the jambalaya a more richer look for this jambalaya were going to use shrimp and were really going to pull the flavor out of the shrimp as much as we can we want the shrimp to be really tender but not mushy.

Red Creole Shrimp Jambalaya

1 cup of scallions,thinly sliced - trimmings reserved

1 cup of celery, finely chopped - trimmings reserved

1 cup of medium yellow onion, finely chopped - trimmings reserved

2 pounds of large fresh shrimps (31 to 35 )

4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 cup of green bell peppers, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons of tomato paste

1 12 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 dried bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon of chili powder

1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice

1 small Pinch of ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

2 cups of long-grain white rice

1 teaspoon of sweet Spanish paprika

Hot sauce, preferably trapelys (optional

Methods

Using a 4-quart heavy-duty saucepan, add the trimmings from the scallion, celery, onion along with 6 cups of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, let the water return to a boil, and cook the shrimp until they are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and let sit for 3 minutes. Strain through a sieve set over a large glass measuring cup, reserving the stock. You will need 4-1/2 cups of stock, so add water if necessary but you should be fine at this point when the shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel and devein the shrimp. Discard the shells and trimmings.

To get started putting this jambalaya together melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven (or other heavy-duty pot) over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add reserved shrimp and diced tomatoes cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until a shade darker, about 3 minutes. Stir in your bay leaf, thyme, cayenne, chili powder, allspice, cloves, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt. Stir in the rice. Add the reserved stock and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook, undisturbed, just until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Check the rice for doneness in several places

The Finale Results

Remove the dutch oven or pot from the heat. Sprinkle the paprika over the jambalaya at this point using a fork fluff your rice gently then add your scallions and paprika into the jambalaya fold in gently then cover and let stand for 10 minutes so the flavors marinate together . Serve with a sprinkle a few drops of the tarpelys hot sauce if you like and enjoy.

The reason I use a dutch oven or a heavy duty pot is I think the dutch oven spreads the heat evenly all over the cooking area that way everything cooks evenly.

The second version of this jambalaya trio is the Cajun jambalaya it was create in south-central Louisiana and this jambalaya really is different from the other two for two reasons one reason is to make this jambalaya right It has to be cooked in a cast iron pot and the second reason it has a brown color and that comes from the cast iron pot it is cooked in.

The Cajun jambalaya is also more spicy then the other two and dose not contain tomatoes but that really dose not matter if you a lover of Cajun flavors.

Spicy Cajun Jambalaya

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic smashed and crushed

1/2 cup of celery chopped

1 large bell pepper, finely chopped

1 1/2 pounds of sliced Andouille sausage

1 pound of cooked chicken diced

1 pound of crawfish

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup of uncooked long grain rice

3 cups of chicken stock

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of white pepper

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon of thyme

1 tablespoon of file

1 teaspoon of oregano

2 bay leaves

Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Using a large, heavy cast iron pot on medium high heat, sauté the andouille sausage in the vegetable oil until well browned, drain off the excess liquid then add chopped onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper, saute until almost tender

Now add the seasonings and continue to saute for 1 minute then add the cooked diced chicken then your chicken stock and rice turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cover for about 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender.

After checking to see If your rice is done remove from the heat add your crawfish and gently mix into the jambalaya and cover for a few minutes to marinate then serve add hot sauce to taste and enjoy.

The third jambalaya were going to be talking about is the white jambalaya, I call this the quick version of cooking jambalaya is being prepared the meat and vegetables are cooked together and the rice is cooked in a broth or stock then is added to the meat and vegetables right before serving.

White jambalaya has no tomatoes in the dish at all they flavor this dish with plenty of seasoning and herbs but to me what makes this dish stands out is the worcestershire sauce and the hot pepper sauce these two together really makes this dish jump out with flavor.

The white jambalaya is the version that you see in most restaurant today because is cooked with less vegetables and the rice can be served on the side with a side of broccoli or any other type of vegetables they are serving.

The jambalaya we are going to make for the second version is Chicken & kielbasa White Jambalaya that is really good but made different from the creole and the Cajun.

Chicken & kielbasa White Jambalaya

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 boneless chicken breast ( cut into bite size pieces )

6 ounces of kielbasa medium diced

1 large Spanish onion diced small

1 whole medium green bell pepper diced small

1 cup of celery diced small

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1/3 teaspoon of sea salt

1/3 teaspoon of ground white pepper

2 cups of uncooked white rice

5 cups of chicken stock

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons of worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce

Methods

When making my jambalaya I like to use my dutch oven because to me they cook the food so evenly but you can use a large heavy pot with that being said using either a dutch oven or a heavy pot heat, up your olive oil then sauté your chicken for minute then add your kielbasa until the chicken is lightly brown in color that should take about 5 minutes then add your onions, bell peppers celery and the minced garlic stir and mix very well then add the cayenne and the onion powder, sea salt and white pepper mix in well and continue to cook for five more minutes or until your onions are tender.....Right at this moment add your uncooked rice and mix very well the add your chicken stock along with your bay leaves, bring the ingredients to a boil then reduce the heat and cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Remove the dutch oven from the heat then stir in your Worcestershire sauce and your hot pepper sauce cover and let it sits for a few more minutes so these flavors can marinate together then serve and enjoy.

Now if you want to o his white jambalaya light most restaurants do just follow the directions that are lined out but do not cook the rice in the dish, cook the rice according to the package then use the rice as a bed for the jambalaya hen if you lie you can add your favorite vegetable to finish off the dish .....Then enjoy.

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