Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a traditional Creole dish, typically containing a mix of meat (usually sausage, shrimp, ham, and/or chicken) along with an assortment of yummy vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and celery. These ingredients are then sautéed together with a rice base that often includes some spices to give the dish an overall kick in the pants (think Tabasco sauce, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and so on). Jambalaya is a great dish to take care of leftover veggies, meat, and rice; it's quick and easy to make. Personally, I don't find it to be one of the best tasting dishes out there - it is the Creole version of meatloaf, in a way, a medley of what you have sitting in the fridge - but it is an enjoyable meal every now and then, especially if you're in the mood for something with a little bit of a kick.

You can really use whatever vegetables and meat you have at your disposal, but the more traditional recipes call for the meats to be polish sausage and shrimp and the vegetables to be celery, onions, and red bell peppers. Likewise, you can use any type of rice, although the ever-common instant white rice is the norm. A typical ingredient list might look as follows:

• 1/2 pound of (polish) sausage (or ham)
• 2+ Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound of shrimp (or chicken)
• 2 cups (white) rice
• 4 cups diced tomatoes (you can used canned tomatoes if you like)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup (red) bell peppers chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 to 2 teaspoons garlic
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons hot sauce
• Salt, pepper, & red crushed peppers to taste

Again, the recipe list is very flexible. Use your imagination and whatever ingredient you happen to have available. In addition to having a fluid ingredients list, the manner with which you cook Jambalaya is also equally flexible and simplistic. The main goal is to brown the meat(s), sauté the vegetables, and then stir in/warm the rice. I usually brown the meat(s) for three to five on medium to medium-high heat, followed by sautéing the onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and celery until the onions start to brown (three to five minutes, again), followed by stirring in the rice, reducing the heat, and ensuring everything is mixed together and warmed equally. Finally, I season to taste with the salt, ground black pepper, hot sauce, and crushed red peppers.

Jambalaya makes a tasty, hearty, warming meal in a relatively short amount of time. It's a great way to thin out the meats and veggies you have lying around in your fridge and keeps well for several days.

Enjoy!