Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
This spicy dish is wonderful, and you can keep it for several meals, if desired. It really warms the bones!
Those with more delicate constitutions may find it a tad on the spicy side. It's easy to get by on less Cayenne pepper, but it seems a shame to do so. Serve it with a nice green salad, a heavy-duty Zinfandel, and maybe some ice cream for dessert and you'll have a happy table at dinner!
My Russian sister-in-law tells me the dish is remarkably similar to a tasty Russian dish known as "Plov".
Ingredients
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1/2 cup olive oil 3 cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped bell peppers 1 head of garlic, broken into peeled cloves 3 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 lb smoked sausage: andouille, chorizo, or similar, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. |
1 1/2 pounds boneless white and dark chicken meat. Cut into 1-inch cubes. 3 bay leaves 3 cups medium-grain white rice 6 cups water 1 cup chopped green onions |
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1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sizes of the pot to loosen any browned particles.
Carmelizing the onions and bell peppers 2. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides.
Sausage added 3. Season the chicken with the remaining teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken and bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot.
Chicken and Bay Leaves added 4. Add the rice and stire for 2 to 3 minutes to coat it evenly. Add the water, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
You need a ratio of 2:1 water to rice, so 6 cups of water
5. Stir in the green onions and serve.
Doesn't that look good enough to eat? |
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