Shrimp Jambalaya

Name: Shrimp Jambalaya
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1/4 pound tasso or other smoked spicy ham, chopped; 3 celery stalks, diced; 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced; 4 garlic cloves, smashed and minced; 2 cups long-grain white rice (preferably Carolina Gold); 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes; 3 tomatoes, cored and chopped; 3 1/2 cups Fast and Fresh Broth (page 42) or low-sodium chicken broth; 3 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme; 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (reserve shells if making Fast and Fresh Broth); 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 2 scallions, trimmed and minced

December 14, 2011

Yet another in the seemingly endless parade of hearty one-pot dishes from the Creole and Cajun traditions, jambalaya is a close cousin of Spanish paella (which comes as no surprise, given Louisiana’s earlier ownership by Spain). I love jambalaya, whether it’s made in the “red” Creole style, with tomatoes, or in the “brown” Cajun style, without, because even though it requires a little slicing and dicing, it’s actually a fairly fast and weeknight-friendly one-dish dinner—and it really sticks to your ribs. I often make mine with shrimp (as in this recipe), but jambalaya is sort of like gumbo in that it is made with everything from chicken, sausage, pork, and oysters to alligator, boar, venison, and turtle—basically, anything that swims, crawls, grazes, or flies in the vicinity of Southerners.

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