ALL I CAN DO IS BLOG ABOUT IT.. (recipe:Jambalaya)

Good Day my little foodies!!!   Nice to have you here today!  Instead of working on the blog like a good doobee (not a joint), Doug is at the beach no doubt eating bacon while working on his tan! PFFFT!!   And here I am typing my little fingers to the bone..  Fortunately or unfortunately as you see it...nothing too exciting is going on.. I mean I am sitting here at my laptop looking at mounds of laundry to fold, floors to be swept, and a fridge to clean out.... however I am feeling very Zen today... all will happen in good time!  (that sounds good...did you believe it?  Then damn, I AM good!)  I am also listening to some smoking blues..which has me in a mood.. it always amazes me how much music changes my mood. And how much I love music!! (I know not a complete sentence..call it literary license..Jeez!)

Extra points if you guessed that picture is Stevie Ray Vaughn. I figure almost everyone knows SRV but in case you don't ...listen to him...amazing.  If you've ever hung out at Ray Hennig's Heart of Texas Music on South Lamar, you may have heard this story before: In 1974, Chris Geppert, who later won five Grammys as Christopher Cross, showed up and traded in a beat-up Stratocaster. The next day, Stevie Ray Vaughan stopped by and took a shine to it.  The rest is history!!  Vaughan's unique eclectic yet intense style was derived from a variety of musical genres. He was influenced by blues musicians including Albert King, Otis Rush, and Muddy Waters, and rock guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Mack, along with jazz instrumentalists like Kenny Burrell. SRV and Double Trouble are credited with reviving blues in the 80's..On August 26, 1990, after an encore jam session featuring Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan and Robert Cray, Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash bound for Chicago. Ironically, it was Eric Clapton that was supposed to be on that flight, but gave up his seat to Stevie Ray as he had told Eric he really needed to get back to Chicago.  (It is also ironic that SRV had had a night mare of his funeral with thousands of mourners the night before and told his band and crew.. he said he felt terrified but almost peaceful).  which is why I always say you can plan for the future but don't count on it..and be ready to punt.
 

I am actually listening to some Zydeco..if you are not familiar with Beausoleil with Michel Doucet, Buckwheat Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Boozoo Chavis, Andrus Espre ...try some...impossible to sit down..real dancing music and happy and fun!!

They got a alligator stew and a crawfish pie
A golf storm blowin' into town tonight
Livin on the delta's quite a show
They got hurricane parties every time it blows
And here up north it's a cold cold rain
And there ain't no cure for my blues today
Except when the paper says: Beausoleil is coming into town

Well you learned to dance with your rock'n'roll
You learned to swing with a do-si-do
But you learn to love at the fais-so-do
When you hear a little Jolie Blon

Saturday night and the moon is out
I wanna head on over to the Twist and Shout
Find a two-step partner and a Cajun beat
When it lifts me up I'm gonna find my feet
Out in the middle of a big dance floor
When I hear that fiddle wanna beg for more
Gonna dance to a band from a-Lou'sian' tonight

So I thought it might be fun (Doug speak) to include some Cajun Recipes..we start off with the mighty  Jambalaya!!

Jambalaya is a popular rice, meat, and vegetable dish enjoyed in the Southeast United States, especially Louisiana. Jambalaya has been a favorite dish for generations because it is inexpensive, delicious, and can be altered to include whatever the chef may have on hand. Seafood is also a common ingredient in Jambalaya, but local recipes may also include any type of game caught that day. (shooting squirrels in the back yard and pigeons off the roof...knew those little buggers had to be good for something..put the pot on the stove, Papa, there's some good eatin' tonight!)

Creole jambalaya, which is also sometimes known as “red jambalaya,” includes tomatoes. This dish begins with the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, celery, and bell pepper) and meat being cooked together. The most common meat used for jambalaya is smoked sausage (usually andouille) and chicken. Once the meat and vegetables have cooked, tomatoes, stock and rice are added to the pot. The entire pot is brought to a boil, covered, and cooked until the rice has absorbed all of the stock. The resulting mix has a slightly red hue from the tomatoes.   (I have personal problem about (aboot, canadian speak) tomatoes and seafood...I know, I know...but its a "mouth thing". Makes my mouth taste tinny..and no I have no idea why, it doesn't have to make sense. I just know it does!)

Cajun jambalaya does not include tomatoes and generally has a brown color. The brown color is achieved because the meat is first cooked in the pot alone, and allowed to brown and caramelize. The trinity is cooked next, followed by the addition of the stock and rice. When the stock is added, the browned bits of meat dissolve into the broth giving the final product a brown color. Cajun jambalaya tends to have a deeper, smokier flavor than Creole jambalaya due to this browning process.
Cajun jambalaya is found in most rural areas of Louisiana, whereas Creole jambalaya is more popular in New Orleans and the surrounding areas where Creole culture is more prevalent. 

Let me explain -- none of these are my original recipes- just ones I have collected and have no idea where I got them from.. I think that covers it

Shrimp Jambalaya- Cajun Style

4 large onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 lb fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups raw long grain rice

3 cups water

Cooking oil

1/2 cup chopped green onion use only tops

Salt, red, and black pepper to taste

Brown onions and garlic in enough cooking oil to barely cover bottom of pot. Add shrimp, cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add water and heat to simmer. Wash rice and add rice and green onions, salt and pepper. Stir lightly. Cook rapidly until most of the water is gone and rice starts to puff. Stir lightly, lower heat, cover and cook until done (approximately 30 minutes).
Serves 6.

Shrimp Jambalaya a La Louisiane

Make roux of:

1 tbs fat (ahh don't you love it when it just says fat?? Don't you just conjure up images of bacon fat and /or lard??)

1 tbs flour

Then add 1/2 cup chopped onion and let cook in the roux until the onions are withered.

Then add:

1 clove garlic, minced fine

2 tbs parsley

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 cup canned tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 green pepper, chopped fine

1/2 tsp salt, more if desired

1/4 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

3 cups rice, cooked

2 cups peeled cooked shrimp

Let these ingredients come to a boil for 5 minutes. Then add cooked rice, cooked peeled shrimp. Stir slowly for 10 minutes on a low fire. Pour into a buttered casserole. Sprinkle over the top, grated cheese and parsley. Place in oven for 350F for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Shrimp Sausage Jambalaya

        2 lb smoked sausage, sliced in bite-size pieces
        2 lb shrimp, deveined

1 (28 oz) can Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with chilis)

1 small can of tomato sauce (in other words as much as you want)

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

2 med onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 tsp sweet basil

4 cups cooked rice

In large, heavy pot, fry smoked sausage until slightly browned. Add Rotel tomatoes, whole tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add bell peppers, onions, garlic, celery and sweet basil. Simmer until seasonings are wilted. Add shrimp and cook for 20 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked rice and blend well.
In addition to shrimp, use chicken and or crawfish.
Serves 8 to 12 people.

lookie Rotel tomatoes..see??

Crawfish Jambalaya

2 cups peeled crawfish tails

1/2 cup crawfish fat (from heads of parboiled crawfish) ..crawfish have fat???

1/2 cup margarine

2 cups chopped white onion

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 fresh ripe tomato, chopped

3 tbs chopped green onion

1 tsp paprika

2 tbs chopped parsley

6 cups water

3 cups regular uncooked rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Hot sauce (optional)

Parboil crawfish, remove fat, and peel tails. Set aside.
Melt margarine in large iron pot with a cover. Add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic; cook until vegetables are clear. Add chopped tomato, crawfish tails, and fat; cook 5 minutes. Add green onions, paprika, and parsley; cook 5 minutes more.
Add water, rice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil while stirring; cover and reduce heat to simmer; Cook for 5 minutes. Do not remove cover until rice is done. Add hot sauce, if desired.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
NOTE:
If crawfish are not available, 2 cups peeled and deveined shrimp may be substituted. Delete crawfish fat from recipe if shrimp is used. (God, I hope so!)

(all of these recipes mention using chicken or game meat..I am thinking possum or squirrel...with the crayfish)

Cajun Pork Jambalaya

2 pounds pork meat, cubed

2-1/2 cups rice, uncooked

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

2 pods garlic, finely chopped

Seasoning to taste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1/4 teaspoon sage

4 cups water

Season meat the day before cooking and refrigerate. In heavy pot using 1/4 cup vegetable oil, cook meat until dark brown. Add sugar, if it doesn't brown well. Add onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic. When vegetables are sauteed, add water and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add rice, green onions and parsley Cook on low heat for about 25 to 30 minutes with the cover on as tight as possible. You may stir occasionally.

 

The Worlds Best Jambalaya Recipe!

(mighty big claim considering how they don't use correct punctuation..but then does a good cook need to speak or write correct English???)

8 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves of garlic 

1 onion

3 peppers

a good handful of chorizo, chopped 

450g/1 lb chicken pieces, on or off the bone

2 chopped Scotch Bonnet or other chili peppers, 1 red, 1 yellow

500g/1 lb 1oz long grain rice

2 tbsp Cajun spices

2 pints chicken stock 

1 tsp chili powder

2 tbsp turmeric

mixed veggies, e.g. carrots, peas, green beans, sprouts, courgettes (wait wait wait!!~ what the hell is a courgette???  read on my little bloggies.... Typically, the word courgette is the British and French term for this green vegetable, where Americans and some other English language speakers will often use the word zucchini....why the hell didnt you just SAY zucchini??? jeez)

450g/1 lb king prawns

salt and ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan and add onion, chopped peppers, garlic, chorizo and chicken pieces then cook for around 8 minutes.

2. Add the chilies.

3. Add the rice and stir. Add the chili powder, turmeric and Cajun spices and mix in well.

4. Add the chilis and bring to a simmer.

5. Add the mixed vegetables and bring to the boil then turn the heat down to a simmer.

6. Once the rice has swollen and is part-cooked, add the prawns or crayfish.

7. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Vegetarian Jambalaya Recipe

      I fear getting old boots thrown at me as I post this recipe...after all, what is Jambalaya without meat and/or seafood... a little squirrel, a little muskrat, a little crawfish some nasty looking spicy sausage??  What is it? DELICIOUS!!  That's what!  I love rice and I love veggies and I don't like meat particularly.... this is yummy, vegetarian and low fat to boot (notice how many times I have used boot, Doug...in its correct pronunciation and usage?)  Try this and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups diced yellow onions
• 1 cup died red onions
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cups diced eggplant
• 1 cup diced yellow squash
• 1 cup diced Italian squash
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes or 24 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp creole seasoning (no salt)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 4 cups long grain rice rinsed
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 8 cups vegetable stock

Method:Heat tomato paste in a sauce pan over medium heat stirring constantly until it changes to a dark rich red color. Add a little bit of the vegetable stock to deglaze and mix with the rest of the stock until blended. Set aside.

Heat oil in a LARGE (this makes 12 servings and remember, rice expands) pot over medium heat. Add onions, shallots, bell peppers, and garlic. Saute until tender and onions are transparent. Add eggplant, squash and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add creole seasoning, bay leaves, and rice. Mix thoroughly and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Add stock, cover and cook for 35 minutes.

This is important. Never lift the lid while it's cooking. Set a timer. Once it's ready, immediately remove from heat and let it sit for another 20 minutes. There will still be a lot of liquid left so letting it cook in its own steam will make wonderfully fluffy rice.