Jason King
AmyHuangJambalaya - JK Style :)
January 27th 2010 08:18
I found some Jambalaya recipes with the sole intent of cooking them as my first big Clay Pot Dish but things didn't quite work out to plan. I have loved Creole and Cajun cooking since about 8yrs ago now when my parental units and I had a fun weekend attending a class in both forms of food - was so much fun and I wish I stuck at it back then. But, as Joan Collins would say, the bitch is back!
Firstly - I shouldn't have made so many nibblies to munch on before nor bought the beautiful pate. Secondly, me and the friends shouldn't have downed two bottles of red prior to me cooking
But most importantly of all I should have measured the amount of ingredients to ensure they would all fit into the Clay Pot - FAIL.
But it all worked out in the end as I cooked it in my regular La Creusett pot that fits all.
Creole Jambalaya originates from the French Quarter of New Orleans, in the original European sector. It was an attempt by the Spanish to make paella in the New World, where saffron was not readily available due to import costs. Tomatoes became the substitute for saffron. As time went on, French influence became strong in New Orleans, and spices from the Caribbean changed this New World paella into a unique dish. In modern Louisiana, the dish has evolved along a variety of different lines. Creole Jambalaya, or red Jambalaya as it is called by Cajuns, is found primarily in and around New Orleans, where it is simply known as "Jambalaya." Creole Jambalaya includes tomatoes, whereas Cajun Jambalaya does not.
Jambalaya experienced a brief jump in popularity during the 1920s and 1930s because of its throw-everything-but-the-kitc hen-sink-in-the-pot composition. The dish was little more than the rice and vegetables the populace could afford, but the recipe grew from humble roots. It can still be used as this kind of dish - it is an add or substitute everything dish and can hold some strong and differing flavours depending on what you have lying in the fridge. However my dish was a little more costly coming in at about $40- for 5 serves. Three of us ate it on the night and I was left with two leftover dishes - and to be perfectly honest it tasted much much better on the second and third dinings. This dish would be ideal in the week following Xmas or Thanskgiving or other big celebrations with heaps of leftovers.
During the third term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the dish caused a feud between the president and friends of the Presidential family, the Richardsons of Virginia, because the family sent a dish to FDR, and the man had to refuse it, citing that he was allergic to crawfish.
YOU WILL NEED:
* 4 slices of bacon, diced
* 1 onion (prefer purple/ spanish) chopped roughly
* 1/2 to 1 chopped green capsicum (bell pepper if in the US)
* 3 cloves of garlic chopped finely
* 3 cups of cooked rice
* 1 tin of canned tomatoes - I prefer the chopped version but whole is fine
* 1 TBSP of tomato paste (white long grain preferred)
* 1 cup of cooked chicken - I just shredded a half a bbq chicken - for this meal you could use ham as a replacement
* 3/4kgs of peeled prawns - cooked - and thawed if frozen
Things I learnt to improve from cooking this dish.
1) Do not drink too much prior to cooking as you may cook 3 cups of rice as opposed to one and a half which will swell when cooked to "3 cups of COOKED RICE"
2) It tasted too prawnish and I believe adding a Tsp or more of chilli powder or Piri Piri would greatly add to the flavour
3) I also think that by cooking the prawns first in the garlic and butter would also spread the flavours more and make it even more delish!
If you have a large clay pot then I recommend cooking the dish in that, if not a large pot that is oven capable is ideal. If using a Clay Pot - soak it in water for 15min prior to cooking.
YOU WILL NEED TO:
* Place first four ingredients into pot, cover, and place in a cold oven. Turn on and bake at 240 degrees Celsius (450F) for 20-25mins or until bacon is browned.
* Add all remaining ingredients (excluding prawns).
* Cover and return to oven at reduced temp of 180 degrees Celsius (375F) and bake another 30mins.
* Take out of the oven, stir in the prawns and allow to sit for 5-10min's
* Serve with a sweet white wine and enjoy
Serves 5 people.
Firstly - I shouldn't have made so many nibblies to munch on before nor bought the beautiful pate. Secondly, me and the friends shouldn't have downed two bottles of red prior to me cooking
But most importantly of all I should have measured the amount of ingredients to ensure they would all fit into the Clay Pot - FAIL.But it all worked out in the end as I cooked it in my regular La Creusett pot that fits all.
Photo by Jason King
Creole Jambalaya originates from the French Quarter of New Orleans, in the original European sector. It was an attempt by the Spanish to make paella in the New World, where saffron was not readily available due to import costs. Tomatoes became the substitute for saffron. As time went on, French influence became strong in New Orleans, and spices from the Caribbean changed this New World paella into a unique dish. In modern Louisiana, the dish has evolved along a variety of different lines. Creole Jambalaya, or red Jambalaya as it is called by Cajuns, is found primarily in and around New Orleans, where it is simply known as "Jambalaya." Creole Jambalaya includes tomatoes, whereas Cajun Jambalaya does not.
Jambalaya experienced a brief jump in popularity during the 1920s and 1930s because of its throw-everything-but-the-kitc hen-sink-in-the-pot composition. The dish was little more than the rice and vegetables the populace could afford, but the recipe grew from humble roots. It can still be used as this kind of dish - it is an add or substitute everything dish and can hold some strong and differing flavours depending on what you have lying in the fridge. However my dish was a little more costly coming in at about $40- for 5 serves. Three of us ate it on the night and I was left with two leftover dishes - and to be perfectly honest it tasted much much better on the second and third dinings. This dish would be ideal in the week following Xmas or Thanskgiving or other big celebrations with heaps of leftovers.
During the third term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the dish caused a feud between the president and friends of the Presidential family, the Richardsons of Virginia, because the family sent a dish to FDR, and the man had to refuse it, citing that he was allergic to crawfish.
Photo by Jason King
YOU WILL NEED:
* 4 slices of bacon, diced
* 1 onion (prefer purple/ spanish) chopped roughly
* 1/2 to 1 chopped green capsicum (bell pepper if in the US)
* 3 cloves of garlic chopped finely
* 3 cups of cooked rice
* 1 tin of canned tomatoes - I prefer the chopped version but whole is fine
* 1 TBSP of tomato paste (white long grain preferred)
* 1 cup of cooked chicken - I just shredded a half a bbq chicken - for this meal you could use ham as a replacement
* 3/4kgs of peeled prawns - cooked - and thawed if frozen
Things I learnt to improve from cooking this dish.
1) Do not drink too much prior to cooking as you may cook 3 cups of rice as opposed to one and a half which will swell when cooked to "3 cups of COOKED RICE"
2) It tasted too prawnish and I believe adding a Tsp or more of chilli powder or Piri Piri would greatly add to the flavour
3) I also think that by cooking the prawns first in the garlic and butter would also spread the flavours more and make it even more delish!
If you have a large clay pot then I recommend cooking the dish in that, if not a large pot that is oven capable is ideal. If using a Clay Pot - soak it in water for 15min prior to cooking.
YOU WILL NEED TO:
* Place first four ingredients into pot, cover, and place in a cold oven. Turn on and bake at 240 degrees Celsius (450F) for 20-25mins or until bacon is browned.
* Add all remaining ingredients (excluding prawns).
* Cover and return to oven at reduced temp of 180 degrees Celsius (375F) and bake another 30mins.
* Take out of the oven, stir in the prawns and allow to sit for 5-10min's
* Serve with a sweet white wine and enjoy
Serves 5 people.
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Comment by Helen Randell
Rough Cooking
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Thanks for the comment Helen