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Creole Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya

Source of Recipe

From "Acadiana Table" by George Graham


Recipe Introduction

"Jambalaya is a rice dish of Spanish influence interpreted first in the Caribbean and then reinterpreted by Cajun and Creole cooks as a spicy mixture of Louisiana ingredients. Even the origin of its colorful name originates from the mishmash of the Spanish word 'jamón' and the French 'jambon,' both meaning 'ham' along with the French à la, which translates to 'in the style of' and 'ya,' thought to be an African word meaning 'rice.' Variations on this ever-popular one-pot entrée are cooked throughout South Louisiana with wild game versions, as well as chicken and sausage versions in the rural countryside and seafood versions along the coast. In fact, as is the case with many Louisiana dishes, there are two distinctly different styles of jambalaya in Louisiana: Creole (with tomatoes) and Cajun (without). Perhaps it is this dish that defines the two cultures. I subscribe to the often-quoted theory that Creole jambalaya was a compromise by Spanish cooks attempting to make paella in a strange new land where saffron was nowhere to be found. Bright red tomatoes became the substitute, adding color and flavor to a defining dish."

List of Ingredients

â—¦  4 strips of smoked bacon, chopped
â—¦  2 cups diced yellow onion
â—¦  2 cups diced celery
â—¦  1 cup diced green bell pepper
â—¦  1 cup diced red bell pepper
â—¦  2 tablespoons minced garlic
â—¦  3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
â—¦  2 cups (16 ounces) sliced andouille sausage
â—¦  1 cup diced tasso (preferably) or smoked ham
â—¦  1 cup beer
â—¦  2 pounds jumbo (16/20 count) shrimp, peeled, tail-on, and deveined
â—¦  1 cup chopped tomatoes
â—¦  1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
â—¦  1 can (10 ounces) mild diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
â—¦  1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
â—¦  1 cup diced green onion tops
â—¦  2 teaspoons smoked paprika
â—¦  1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦  Dash of hot sauce
â—¦  1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦  2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
â—¦  4 cups long-grain white rice
â—¦  4 cups seafood stock


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F.
In a large cast-iron pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until done. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels, and chop into pieces. Reserve for later use.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pot.
Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers to the bacon grease and cook until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, andouille, and tasso and continue to sauté until the meats just begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot by pouring in the beer and scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot while stirring. Add the bacon pieces back to the pot, along with the shrimp and all of the chopped tomatoes, parsley, and green onions. Add the paprika, cayenne, a couple of shakes of hot sauce, and the salt and black pepper.

Add the rice to the pot and stir until evenly distributed.
Add the seafood stock and stir again. Cover the pot and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Do not stir or even raise the lid on the pot for that one hour. In that hour, all the flavors are melding, and the rice is cooking. At the end of the hour, take a peek, but do not stir. Make sure most of the stock has been absorbed and taste to see if the rice is cooked to at least al dente. When it is, turn off the oven, cover the pot, and leave it in the oven for another 20 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and ice-cold beer.

Serves 4 to 6