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    Sunday, April 22, 2012

    Excellent Jambalaya- Goes well with Music


    The Visitors from Hawkes Bay were here so we hosted a small Musical Soiree.
    What better food to eat but Jambalaya
    I watched Ina Garten, on her Back to Basics TV Show, cook this yummy Jambalaya, with her friend, Amelia Durand . This Amelia’s recipe and it is very easy and very healthy.
    I have been making Jambalaya from my New Orleans School of Cooking experience
    That is very tasty but they use a roux so it has a higher fat content.
    I have made a few changes to suit my guests and using what I had in my pantry.
    I used homemade Ketchup instead of tomato paste.
    I did use homemade chicken stock and
    the hot sauces of choice were Sriracha and for the smoky flavour “Cholula Hot Chipotle Sauce”
    I also used a mix of our local butcher's,
    Gluten free Chorizo and Italian sausages.
    Beautiful flavours Top Cut Butcher at the Top of Parnell Rd, Worth a visit

    This is really great for a crowd.
    Do all your chopping in the morning, bring it to the boiling stock stage.

    Leave and finish off about 40 minutes before you want to eat

    6 to 8 servings
    Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 
    500 gms sausage,
    1 tablespoon butter
    1 medium onion, diced
    1 cup diced celery
    1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
    1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
    1 cup seeded and diced tomato
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
    2 teaspoons dried oregano
    1 teaspoon dried thyme
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
    3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
    3 bay leaves
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional Either Tabasco, Sriracha or a Hot Chipotle
    1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
     3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
    1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
    500 gms medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)
    Directions
    Heat the oil in a large heavy pot at medium heat,
    Add the sausage and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned.
     Remove the sausage to a bowl, and set aside. ‘ If there is excess fat drain it off.
    Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

     Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste
    and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well.
    Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil.
    Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
    Return to a boil,
    Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
    Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the Prawns, and stir well. Cover the pot,
    remove it from the heat and allow the Jambalaya to steam,
    for 15 minutes, before serving.
    This is enough residual heat to cook the Prawns
    Our friends Elpie and Pete supplied a great spicy Bean and Chick Pea casserole.
    Featured at the back right

    Lana and Bridgie brought wonderful nibbles for the milling around
    You need food to accompany the excellent Margaritas concocted by Mr Heinz

    Helen made these cute Musical note Cup Cakes

    JT brought a Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble

    <
    Hiria and Lucy gave us great Cheeses
    All in all. you will note as you peruse the photos. It was a huge success
    The calm before the storm