Jim Mathews
TVWBB Member
OK, I just returned from a short work-then-fun trip to New Orleans. Loved the jumbalaya I had in some holes-in-the-wall that were recommended to us. Anyone got an authentic New Orleans jumbalaya recipe?
Jumbalaya recipe?
- Thread starter Jim Mathews
- Start date
John Sp
TVWBB All-Star
Jim,
Jambalaya is a local staple in New Orleans. Like most local dishes there are different schools of thought as to the best approach to cooking it. In general Creole Jambalaya (red) contains tomatoes while Cajun Jambalaya (brown) does not. It is most probably the result of the multi-cultural heritage and influences found in Southeast Louisiana. As with many Louisiana dishes, you find it begins with the 'Trinity' (a mixture of onions, bell pepper, and celery). The recipe below is from Joe Cahn (The Commissioner of Tailgating in New Orleans), a local chef and celebrity. This is a dish I have been meaning to add to my Cajun/Creole repertoire so maybe I will give a try this weekend too...
Season chicken with salt and pepper; brown in hot oil in 8 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook 5-to-7 minutes. Remove chicken and sausage from pan; set aside. Add onions, celery, green peppers and garlic; cook, stirring 7-10 minutes or until vegetables begin to wilt. Stir in chicken stock, reserved chicken and sausage, seasoning salt and Kitchen Bouquet. Bring to a boil. Add rice and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 10 minutes; remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely. Replace cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in green onions.
For brown jambalaya, add 1 heaping tbsp. brown sugar to hot oil and caramelize, or make a roux, or use Kitchen Bouquet. For red jambalaya, add approximately 1/4 cup paprika or use 1/2 stock and 1/2 tomato juice or V-8 for your liquid. For seafood jambalaya, add cooked seafood when rice is cooked.
If using an electric stove, reduce cooking time by 3-4 minutes.
Four Tips
Use 1 cup of rice for every 2 cups of vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper)
Use 1 � cups of liquid for every 1 cup of uncooked rice
1 cup of uncooked rice will make 3 cups of cooked rice, season accordingly
Cook jambalaya for a total of 25 to 30 minutes, stirring well after 10 minutes.
Regards,
John
Jambalaya is a local staple in New Orleans. Like most local dishes there are different schools of thought as to the best approach to cooking it. In general Creole Jambalaya (red) contains tomatoes while Cajun Jambalaya (brown) does not. It is most probably the result of the multi-cultural heritage and influences found in Southeast Louisiana. As with many Louisiana dishes, you find it begins with the 'Trinity' (a mixture of onions, bell pepper, and celery). The recipe below is from Joe Cahn (The Commissioner of Tailgating in New Orleans), a local chef and celebrity. This is a dish I have been meaning to add to my Cajun/Creole repertoire so maybe I will give a try this weekend too...
| 1/4 cup vegetable oil | 5 cups chicken stock or water flavored with chicken bouillon |
| 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces | 1 tbs. minced garlic |
| salt and ground black pepper | 4 cups long grain rice |
| 1 1/2 lbs. sausage cut in 1/4-inch slices | 2 tbsp. Kitchen Bouquet (browning agent) |
| 4 cups chopped onions | 2 tbsp. seasoning salt |
| 2 cups chopped celery | 2 cups chopped green onions |
| 2 cups chopped green bell pepper |
Season chicken with salt and pepper; brown in hot oil in 8 quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook 5-to-7 minutes. Remove chicken and sausage from pan; set aside. Add onions, celery, green peppers and garlic; cook, stirring 7-10 minutes or until vegetables begin to wilt. Stir in chicken stock, reserved chicken and sausage, seasoning salt and Kitchen Bouquet. Bring to a boil. Add rice and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 10 minutes; remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely. Replace cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in green onions.
For brown jambalaya, add 1 heaping tbsp. brown sugar to hot oil and caramelize, or make a roux, or use Kitchen Bouquet. For red jambalaya, add approximately 1/4 cup paprika or use 1/2 stock and 1/2 tomato juice or V-8 for your liquid. For seafood jambalaya, add cooked seafood when rice is cooked.
If using an electric stove, reduce cooking time by 3-4 minutes.
Four Tips
Use 1 cup of rice for every 2 cups of vegetables (onion, celery, bell pepper)
Use 1 � cups of liquid for every 1 cup of uncooked rice
1 cup of uncooked rice will make 3 cups of cooked rice, season accordingly
Cook jambalaya for a total of 25 to 30 minutes, stirring well after 10 minutes.
Regards,
John
Edwin Vickers
TVWBB Fan
http://nomenu.com/
http://www.nolacuisine.com/creole-cajun-recipe-page/
Two great sites that have quality authentic N.O. recipes. Jambalaya is one of those dishes that you can customize. Chicken, pork, hot sausage, smoked sausage, shrimp, game, can all be used in Jambalaya. The French and Spanish influences are strong here. Jambalaya is very much influenced by Pallea and Rice Pilaf. Remember color means flavor. Brown the meat leaving dark brown fond that you can scrape up to add flavor. Always use stock not water. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.nolacuisine.com/creole-cajun-recipe-page/
Two great sites that have quality authentic N.O. recipes. Jambalaya is one of those dishes that you can customize. Chicken, pork, hot sausage, smoked sausage, shrimp, game, can all be used in Jambalaya. The French and Spanish influences are strong here. Jambalaya is very much influenced by Pallea and Rice Pilaf. Remember color means flavor. Brown the meat leaving dark brown fond that you can scrape up to add flavor. Always use stock not water. Hope you enjoy.
Ken Serwatowski
TVWBB Fan
I have been making this one for years. I've also tweaked it to my liking but the original is a great start. This is a very simple straight forward one and it has always been a crown pleaser. I've never used that much oil even before I made other changes. It is from Emeril's best cook book he has ever produced "Louisiana Real and Rustic" Ken
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/andouille-and-chicken-jambalaya-recipe.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/andouille-and-chicken-jambalaya-recipe.html
Ken Serwatowski
TVWBB Fan
Oh and 3 tsp is way too much salt. I use 2 and also use kosher which has less per tsp. Ken
Chris in Louisiana
TVWBB All-Star
That Emeril recipe looks about right. Ken, you are right, "Louisiana Real and Rustic" is a great cookbook.
I cook almost everything from scratch and refuse to look at recipes that call for canned soup, packet of seasoning mix, etc.
But I confess. I use Cajun Fry jambalaya mix.
I pretty much do like the Emeril's recipe but use the mix for the rice component and its seasonings. I started using it before I really knew how to cook, and it is so good I just stayed with it. They'll sell you 6 packages for $21, no shipping.
I cook almost everything from scratch and refuse to look at recipes that call for canned soup, packet of seasoning mix, etc.
But I confess. I use Cajun Fry jambalaya mix.
I pretty much do like the Emeril's recipe but use the mix for the rice component and its seasonings. I started using it before I really knew how to cook, and it is so good I just stayed with it. They'll sell you 6 packages for $21, no shipping.
Michelle in New Orleans
TVWBB Fan
Another thing good to know is that you should really overseason the jambalaya, as the rice absorbs a lot of it. Once I mix in the rice well, I taste again and adjust seasonings with a heavy hand. Also, once the rice is well mixed in with all the veggies and seasonings and you cover the pot, we don't open the pot again until the rice is cooked -- for us this is usually about an hour.