
Cajun Jambalaya
- May 21, 2020
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
2 large celery ribs, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1½ cups green bell pepper, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 can tomato paste
1 pound Cajun style smoked sausage, sliced ½” thick
1 pound fresh raw shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2 cups raw white rice
4 cups water
1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup parsley, chopped – or 2 tablespoons, dried
2 green onions, finely chopped
Process
- In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or a Paella pan (with lid), melt butter over medium heat.
- Add the trinity of celery, onion and bell pepper and sauté until the onion begins to become transparent and the bell pepper has softened a little.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more, making sure the garlic doesn’t cook too rapidly and burn.
- Stir in the can of tomato paste; stirring very well to combine.
- Lower heat slightly and continue to sauté for another minute or so. It is okay, and even desirable, for the tomato paste to brown slightly, but take care because it can go from browning to burning quite rapidly.
- Add the sausage and shrimp, continuing to cook and stir only until the shrimp starts to develop a little bit of pink color on its edges.
- Immediately add the rice, water, Cajun seasoning, black pepper and parsley.
- Stir well once more to combine all the ingredients, making sure that the rice is completely submerged in the sauce.
- Bring the pot up to a high simmer, cover and reduce heat to medium low.
- Allow jambalaya to cook covered and undisturbed for 45 minutes.
- Jambalaya will be done when the rice is tender and the sauce has been mostly absorbed.
- If the jambalaya is still quite soupy, stir once by folding the rice up from the bottom and over on itself, cover and continue to cook for 15 more minutes.
- Continue checking and stirring every 15 minutes until a moist dressing consistency is achieved.
- Add one half of the green onions, folding them in lightly.
- Garnish with the remaining green onions and serve.