Casa M Jambalaya

Some foods have such a strong impact on you that they have the ability to take you back in time to when you first had them. Jambalaya is definitely one of those for me. Since my grandparents were born in Louisiana and so was my mom, I guess I was pre-conditioned to the cajun flavors. This jambalaya recipe rings true to authentic flavors from New Orleans and the surrounding area. The use of the cajun trinity (onions, celery, and peppers) is very strong here. It's actually the whole base of the flavor profiles and in my opinion is one of the best combinations out there. There are a ton of options with Jambalaya for ingredients. Some like simple sausage and chicken, others prefer seafood, some like the tomatoes (somewhat creole influenced) and some don't. Generally if I add seafood, I add the tomato but if not, I don't. Another great combination for this dish is ham and shrimp starting off with bacon in the pan and using the grease from the bacon to sautée the vegetables, then proceeding just like this recipe.

The nearly caramelized vegetables and browned sausage are what make this dish pop. Don't scorch them, of course, and reduce the heat as needed, but don't be afraid of the caramelization and browning either. Once you lightly sautée the rice in the vegetables and sausage/chicken mixture, add the broth and cook covered and undisturbed just like you would a pot or rice you're cooking on the stovetop. Don't stir. You're trying to avoid getting the starches in the rice stirred up so it doesn't get sticky. Again, for me if I am adding seafood I typically add tomatoes, if not, I leave them out.

As always, from our table to yours... #SpiceConfidently #EssenceOfFlavor #ChemistryInTheKitchen #CasaMSpice

— Mike Hernandez

ingredients

For the Vegetables:

1/2 cup avocado oil
3 cups sweet onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped

For the Meats:

1 pound andouille (or smoked sausage), cut into 1/3" slices
2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 pound shrimp, cleaned, headed, peeled

Pulling It All Together:

2 Tablespoons Casa M Spice Co Chain Reaction®
2 Tablespoons Casa M Spice Co Cattle Drive®
4 bay leaves
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes with juice
5 cups chicken broth
3 cups rice, white long grain
1 cup green onions, chopped

FEATURED QUOTE

- Mike Hernandez

LET’S GET COOKING

1.
To a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat add the oil and let it get to the point where it is shimmering then add the vegetables and sautée over high heat, stirring often, until they start to brown (about 15-20 minutes).
2.
Add the andouille and chicken to the pot and continue to brown, stirring often, until there is uniform browning on the sausage and chicken (about another 10-15 minutes). Reduce the temperature as needed to prevent scorching.
3.
Add the rice to the pot and stir to evenly coat the rice and cook for about 3 minutes.
4.
Add the chicken broth, Casa M Spice Co® seasonings, bay leaves, and tomatoes. Mix well, then stir in the shrimp. Bring the pot just to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook covered, untouched, for 30 minutes.
5.
Check the rice at 30 minutes to determine if it is tender. In theory the rice should absorb all the liquid and be tender but not mushy.
6.
Adjust seasonings to taste with Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction, salt, and pepper.
7.
Remove the bay leaves, mix in the green onions, serve family style.