Kicking it up with Jambalaya

This weekend was rather nice and the week is very hectic. Sometimes, I like to have a little kick of spice to complement the week as it really has been CRA CRA. Cajun food is a great style of cuisine that everyone would love especially since it has so much good flavor and plenty of kick! This recipe that I am sharing was from a Cajun cookbook, but of course I was BYOC (being your own chef....words to live by from good ole Clare Robinson). This go around I am using my camera that MC bought for me for Christmas last year....

 Ingredients

4 pieces of chicken thighs, diced
1 andouille sausage, diced
1 large bellpepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp cayenne pepper (for the weak...1 tsp)
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 small can tomato sauce

 

First, start with heating up the pot with the canola oil. Dice both the chicken thighs and andouille sausage. Place into the heated pot. Stir on occassion ensuring that the meat mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until you start to brown the meat.Take the meat out and allow for it to drain.

Cook all of the diced vegetables (bell pepper, celery and onion) in the same pot in which you cooked the meat in. Cook them until it softens. Add all of the other ingredients EXCEPT the rice. Continue to stir and cook to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer for another couple of minutes adding the rice. Continue to cook to a simmer.

Stirring on occasion. Add the meat mixture and raw shrimp. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Now, I have used cooked shrimp. When you are using cooked shrimp, place them last and mix into the jambalaya. This will allow the shrimp to cook evenly avoiding the shrimp getting too rubbery.

I don't know about you, but I love to eat this with some saltines. Since I cooked this on Sunday, the spices have settled and this will become so flavorful. Keep in mind that you need to add very little water to this in order to reheat. You don't want your rice to be mushy.