Paul Prudhomme's Poorman's Jambalaya

Submitted by sugarpea

"Killer jambalaya! No tomato in this one and consider yourself warned: careful with the peppers in the seasoning mix. I usually cut the various peppers to 1/4 of the listed amount. I use my food processor to chop the vegetables. Do them separately to get them the right size. Have all the ingredients prepped and ready before you begin cooking because if you don't pay attention, you'll burn it. Make every effort to use homemade stock or sodium-free stock. This is soooo good and sooo worth the effort."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Yields: 8 appetizer servings
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• Seasoning Mix

• 4 small bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon gumbo file (file powder) (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• Jambalaya

• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 6 ounces tasso (about 1 1/2 cups) or 6 ounces other smoked ham, diced
• 6 ounces smoked andouille sausages (about 1 heaping cup) or 6 ounces kielbasa, diced
• 1 1⁄2 cups onions, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 cups uncooked rice (preferably converted)
• 4 cups beef stock or 4 cups chicken stock (if not salt-free, adjust salt)

directions

1. Seasoning Mix: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Jambalaya: Use a large, heavy skillet, cast iron is best; over high heat melt margarine; add tasso and andouille, or ham and sausage, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, seasoning mix and garlic; stir and cook 10-12 minutes until well browned, scraping the bottom of the pan well.
4. Stir in rice and cook 5 minutes, again scraping the pan bottom often; add stock.
5. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes, until rice is tender but still a bit crunchy; stir a bit towards the end of the cooking time; remove bay leaves and serve.

Reviews

[BlueState82]

This is my jambalaya recipe except I cut the peppers in half. I find that it's perfect- spicy but still enjoyable. If you can, definitely use file because it adds a lot. I also use a mixture of andouille sausage and shredded chicken. Tasso is hard to find outside of Louisiana, but if I had some, I would definitely use it for this recipe. For the rice, I use half rice half orzo because we prefer pasta to rice. My 1 year old devours this so I end up making it at least once a month. Sometimes if I am pressed for time, I will use a frozen seasonings mix (onions, bell pepper, celery and parsley) and add chopped garlic. It tastes just as good. I cook it in a big pot since I don't have a cast iron skillet, and my mom taught me to let it simmer covered for 20 minutes and it will come out perfectly. Overall, it's one of my family's favorites.

 

[George C.]

I've made this for years and add Chicken meat (breast or thigh meat) and it gets rave reviews from Cajun friends! (The absence of tomato is key - and don't be afraid to bring on the heat!)

 

[Grnthmb1955]

Very best recipe I have used since losing my Paul Prudhomme Cookbook in a move. But the picture does not match the recipe in that it is very obvious that the picture has tomatoes in it. Jambalaya is much better without tomatoes.

 

[cajunglazki]

Making this in Moscow, Russia....I grew up with this recipe...with Cajun food, we are Cajun, could not find andouille, at all, nothing close to it....so, this is a Russian/Cajun Jambalaya....also, my fince doesnt like too spicy, so half the red pepper, usually I double it and add two tablespoons Tabasco.....

 

[pgray317]

I OFTEN ADD SOME SLIGHTLY GRILLED CHICKEN AND SHRIMP TO THE MIX. GREAT FOR PARTIES, OR A GREAT SIT DOWN MEAL. ALSO, TRY TO USE ONLY NODINE'S ANDOUILLE.