“The Creole name “jambalaya” is derived from the French word for ham, “jambon,” and the African word for rice, “yaya.” Yet, it is probable that Valencian paella is the forerunner of this classic Louisiana dish. Paella is made with a variety of ingredients including meat or seafood, white rice and white beans. Sound familiar? It’s easy to see why Louisianans usually top their meat-flavored jambalaya with a healthy ladle of creamy, white beans. The dish is truly a mélange of cultures.” – Chef John Folse
Chef John Folse’s
Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 1 pound cubed pork butt
- 1 pound cubed chicken
- 1 pound sliced andouille
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced garlic
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Dash of Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce
- 4 cups Uncle Ben’s® Long Grain Rice
Directions
- In a 2-gallon, cast-iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté cubed pork until dark brown on all sides and until some pieces are sticking to the bottom of the pot, approximately 30 minutes. This is very important, as the brown color of jambalaya is derived from the color of the meat.
- Add cubed chicken and andouille, and stir for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, “long and low.” Tilt the pot to one side and ladle out all oil except for one large spoonful. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Continue cooking until all vegetables are well-caramelized; however, be very careful, as vegetables will tend to scorch since the pot is so hot.
- Add chicken stock; bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook all ingredients in stock approximately 15 minutes for flavors to develop.
- Add mushrooms, green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold. I suggest that you slightly over-season, since the rice tends to require a little extra seasoning. Add rice and bring to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat to very low, then cover and allow to cook 30 minutes, stirring once at 15 minutes. When cooked, stir again and let steam for 10 minutes.
