Jambalaya

When I think of Mardi Gras I instantly think of New Orleans. We took a trip there several years ago and I remember Jambalaya being served in every restaurant on every corner. It is one of my husbands favorite dishes. So because we were celebrating Mardi Gras, I went for Jambalaya.

I had the blessing of going to the cutest little local farmers stand. I got bags and bags of fresh produce at amazing deals. I got 25 roma tomatoes for $5 among a ton of other things. For me, cooking is all about local fresh produce. It is going to go perfect in my Jambalaya. When you make this recipe. A good tip is to chop up all the fresh produce prior to starting all the cooking.

 Here is how I made mine.

2 cups enriched white rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless white or dark meat chicken
3/4 pound andouille, casing removed and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 jalepeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons gluten free all-purpose flour
3 diced roma tomatoes in juice
14-ounces chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 rounded teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound medium shrimp, raw, deveined and peeled
Coarse salt and black pepper

Directions
Cook rice to package directions.

Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Slice chicken and place in hot oil and butter. Brown chicken 3 minutes, add sausage, and cook 2 minutes more.

Add onion, celery, pepper, bay, and cayenne.

Saute vegetables 5 minutes, sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and broth and season with cumin, chili, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire. Bring liquids to a boil and add shrimp.

Simmer shrimp 5 minutes until pink and firm. Remove the pot from the heat and place on a trivet. Ladle jambalaya into shallow bowls. Using an ice cream scoop, place a scoop of rice on to the center of the bowlfuls of jambalaya. Sprinkle dishes with salt, pepper.