Jambalaya

I sampled Andouille sausage for the first time at the meat counter and it was so good I had to buy one! They are like bacon meets sausage with spice. Or summer sausage with heat? Make sure to buy nitrate free. 

So what was I going to do with this Andouille? It's been making the rounds in all the cookbooks and recipe blogs- and I remembered it was often featured in jambalaya, which I've never made before. So I started with this recipe and adapted it to what I had in the pantry and fridge. 

Method:

First, mix the spices- this makes about enough for this dish but you could make extra by scaling up the proportions: 

1.25 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

Mix the above spices with shelled shrimp (as much or little shrimp as you like).  Use either bite-sized shrimp, or cut large shrimp into pieces. Or use lobster or langostino. Set aside. 

In  1-2 TB oil or fat (chicken or bacon fat), saute until softened:

1/2 C diced yellow onion

1/2 C diced celery

1/2 bell pepper, diced

pinch of salt

Then add 4 minced cloves garlic, 3 bay leaves and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Let cook for 60 seconds until garlic is fragrant. 

Add 3/4 C long grain rice (like basmati) and toast it in the veggies and oil for 30-60 seconds. 

Now add and stir:

3 C chicken broth

2-3 TB tomato paste (or use a can of diced tomatoes)

Cover and cook on medium until rice is done- 15 minutes for white basmati but longer for other types of rice. Add more water if it needs it. 

Meanwhile, slice Andouille or other spicy sausage into pieces. 

Add the sliced sausage and the raw spice-coated shrimp to the pan. Cover and cook on med/low until the shrimp is cooked all the way through. 

Serve hot!