American · Louisiana
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.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
200g
andouille sausage
sliced 1cm thick
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
200g
chicken thigh
cut into 2cm cubes
Your own market
200g
shrimp (16/20 count)
peeled and deveined
Your own market
90g
celery
diced 1cm
Your own market
90g
yellow onion
diced 1cm
Your own market
90g
bell pepper (mixed red and green)
diced 1cm
Your own market
150g
long-grain white rice
Your own market
200ml
chicken stock
Your own market
200ml
crushed San Marzano DOP tomatoes
Origin · ItalyBosa Foods · Vancouver →
30ml
Creole tomato paste
Your own market
5g
fresh thyme leaves
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3g
Maldon sea salt
Origin · United KingdomLekker · Vancouver →
2g
Cayenne pepper
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1g
filé powder (optional
finishing)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
30ml
neutral oil
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat; render andouille 4 minutes until fat releases, then add chicken and sear 5 minutes until opaque at edges.
2
Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and aromatics release.
3
Stir in tomato paste and thyme, cook 2 minutes; add rice and toast 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4
Deglaze with stock and tomatoes, scraping the bottom; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
5
Fold in shrimp, season with salt and Cayenne; cover and cook 5 minutes until rice is tender and shrimp are opaque.
6
Remove from heat, rest 3 minutes; finish with a pinch of filé powder and serve in shallow bowls.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where jambalaya lives or dies is the rice-to-liquid ratio — if the ratio is off, the rice will either be undercooked with excess liquid or dry and scorched at the base. Before adding the rice, taste the stock. It should be aggressively seasoned — more than seems comfortable — because the raw rice will absorb a significant amount of the salt and spice as it cooks. Underseasoned stock at the beginning produces flat jambalaya.
Pillars V — VII
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Cross-cuisine parallels, what to pour, and the dish's origin and lineage — on every recipe.
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