Ginnys Jambalaya Recipes

CINDY'S JAMBALAYA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Stir in the sausage, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery; season with salt and Cajun seasoning. Cook and stir until the vegetables are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the rice until evenly coated in the vegetable mixture, then pour in the tomatoes with juice, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaves, and thyme leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, stir in the shrimp, and cook 10 minutes uncovered until the shrimp turn pink and are no longer translucent in the center. Remove the pot from the heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves before serving.

GINNY'S JAMBALAYA

Steps:

• In a large saucepot, combine the chicken, water, quartered onion, quartered celery, sliced garlic, 1 t salt and reserved shrimp shells.
• Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and cook (partially covered) until the chicken is cooked, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid.
• Drain and reserve the cooking liquid, discarding the solids.
• (At this point, I place cheesecloth over my fine mesh strainer and pour the strained liquid through. Now all the teeny particles are strained as well and you have a beautifully clear stock!) Add enough water to the reserved cooking liquid to make 4 cups.
• Remove and discard the chicken bones.
• Coarsely chop the breast meat and set it aside.
• (I put it in the bowl with the shrimp in the refrigerator. Why dirty two bowls?) Heat the oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven.
• Add the sausage and cook over medium heat until lightly browned.
• Add all the chopped veggies and the garlic and saute' until crisp tender.
• Then add the Worcestershire, salt, cayenne, and thyme.
• (If your thyme has been in your cupboard for awhile, it wouldn't hurt to use 1/2 tsp instead of 1/4 tsp).
• Bring to a simmer.
• Stir in the rice and return to a simmer.
• Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer over low heat until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 25 minutes.
• (I check and give it a stir every so often. Also at this time, I take the chicken and shrimp out of the fridge to take the chill off them.) Once the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat.
• Stir in the reserved shrimp and chicken.
• Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.