Shrimp Jambalaya Recipe

by Christine Lamb

Jambalaya is

a popular rice, meat, and vegetable dish enjoyed in America, especially

Louisiana. Jambalaya has been a favorite dish for generations because it is

inexpensive, tasty, and can be altered to include whatever the chef/cook may

have on hand. Seafood is also a common ingredient in Jambalaya, but local

recipes may also include any type of game caught that day.

Although

every family has its own recipe for jambalaya, there are two main categories,

Creole and Cajun. The difference lies in

the order in which the ingredients are cooked and use of tomatoes.

Creole

jambalaya, which is also sometimes known as “red jambalaya,” includes tomatoes.

This dish begins with the holy trinity of vegetables (onion, bell pepper and

celery) and meat being cooked together. The most common meat used for jambalaya

is smoked sausage (andouille) and chicken. Once the meat and vegetables have

cooked, tomatoes, stock and rice are added to the pot. The entire pot is

brought to a boil, covered, and cooked until the rice has absorbed all of the

stock. The resulting mix has a slightly red hue from the tomatoes.

Cajun

jambalaya doesn’t include tomatoes and generally has a brown color. The brown

color is achieved because the meat is first cooked in the pot alone, and

allowed to brown and caramelize. The trinity is cooked next, followed by the

addition of the stock and rice. When the stock is added, the browned bits of

meat dissolve into the broth giving the final product a brown color. Cajun

jambalaya tends to have a deeper, smokier flavor than Creole jambalaya due to

this browning process.

Cajun

jambalaya is found in most rural areas of Louisiana, whereas Creole jambalaya

is more popular in New Orleans and the surrounding areas where Creole culture

is more prevalent.

The exact

origin of jambalaya is unknown; it is most likely the result of multiple

ethnicities mingling in the port city of New Orleans centuries ago. Jambalaya

is similar to Spanish paella, which was brought to the area by Spanish

explorers. Saffron, which is the main spice used in paella, may have been

difficult to find in the new world and may have been replaced with tomatoes to

create what we now know as Creole Jambalaya.

Research Source: About Food Reference

I thought it’s

time to bring the taste of New Orleans to the dinner table with this easy one

pot classic, jambalaya. It’s pack with shrimp, andouille sausage and veggies.

Shrimp

Jambalaya

Copyrighted

2014, Christine’s Pantry. All rights reserved.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup
• uncooked rice
• 2 1/2 cups
• water
• 1 (14.5 oz.)
• can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce)
• can tomato sauce
• 1 (13 ounce)
• smoked andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 onion,
• chopped
• 1 green bell
• pepper, seeded and chopped
• salt and
• pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon
• minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon
• creole seasoning
• 1 tablespoon
• seafood seasoning (I used old bay)
• 1 pound
• shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 green
• onions, chopped

Directions:

In a Dutch

oven, add rice, water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, smoked sausage, onions, bell

pepper, salt, pepper, garlic, creole seasoning and seafood seasoning (old bay).

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp and

green onions, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Enjoy!