Jambalaya

Jambalaya is Louisiana's great rice dish — a one-pot preparation of long-grain rice cooked in a stock with the holy trinity (celery, bell pepper, onion), andouille sausage, chicken, and shrimp. Creole jambalaya (the 'red' version) includes tomato; Cajun jambalaya (the 'brown' version) does not. The rice must be cooked in the seasoned stock until each grain is separate, tender, and has absorbed the complex flavour of the rendered sausage and spices. It is the Louisiana equivalent of Spanish paella — the same architecture.

Louisiana, United States. Jambalaya reflects Louisiana's Spanish and French colonial heritage — it is a direct descendant of Spanish paella (the same rice-in-seasoned-stock technique) adapted with local ingredients. The name may derive from the Spanish jamón (ham) or the Provençal jambalaia. Both Creole (urban New Orleans) and Cajun (rural Acadiana) traditions are authentic.

Abita Amber lager — the local Louisiana craft beer alongside a bowl of jambalaya. Or a bottle of Tabasco at the table — the Louisiana hot sauce is always present for individual heat adjustment.

Andouille sausage: sliced and rendered in a heavy pot first — the fat from the andouille is the cooking medium for everything that follows. The fond from browning the sausage is the foundational flavour The holy trinity: onion, celery, and green bell pepper added to the rendered sausage fat, cooked until soft Long-grain white rice: the specific grain structure holds up during the long cook in stock. Do not use medium or short-grain — they turn to mush The stock: chicken stock seasoned with cayenne, Creole seasoning (Tony Chachere's), thyme, and bay. Liquid-to-rice ratio is critical: 2:1 The cook: bring to a boil, add rice, stir once, cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Do not open the lid — the steam cooks the rice Shrimp last: added in the final 5 minutes with the lid removed. The shrimp should be just pink and curled — they are fully cooked in 3-4 minutes