Creole Jambalaya with Okra

I’ve been making biscuits more often than usual (meaning I’ve made them at all) and buttermilk biscuits always make me think of the American south which makes me think of New Orleans. I’m always trying to get back there for so many reasons, the food being right at the top of the list. Probably because we’re thinking about where to go this summer I’ve been daydreaming about The Big Easy. Hence, jambalaya.

When I went to Spain it thoroughly ruined my relationship with making paella at home. It was so good there and so different to what I make in my own kitchen that I have a hard time calling what we make at home paella. But jambalaya in my kitchen for some reason still feels within range of jambalaya on the road. Even when I have to use chorizo instead of Andouille sausage. Considering the French and Spanish influences on the city it doesn’t feel too off the mark.

Jambalaya is an inherently generous dish. It is literally a jumble of so many good vegetables, meats and prawns. There’s nothing bad in it which makes it so good. The spices are also really available and flexible depending on how hot you’d like to make it. I just can’t say enough good things about it. If you don’t have okra near you or you don’t like it, you can leave it out but I think it adds to the overall dish.

When you start thinking about where recipes come from the web of influences from around the world is so fascinating. Food has always connected us as we travel and come home, as people migrate and settle down somewhere new. That voyaging spirit can continue in the kitchen even when you aren’t able to visit your favorite places in person.

Celebrating Making

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6 hungry people

60 minutes

Ingredients

Vegetable Oil

Half kilo skinless, boneless chicken thighs

250g chorizo (the kind that is already cooked)

2 Tbsp cajun seasoning

1 onion

1 green pepper

1 red bell pepper

2 stalks celery

6 large cloves garlic

1 Tbsp celery salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground white pepper

Several good grinds black pepper

350 ml chicken stock

1 cup basmati rice

400g can crushed tomatoes

150g okra

250g raw king prawns (or more!)

For Serving

Green Onions

Hot sauce

Half a lemon, for squeezing

Instructions

We are going to mise the vegetables and then mise the meat so you only have to use one knife and one cutting board. Don’t do it the other way around, it isn’t worth the risk of maybe getting sick.

Chop the onion, green pepper, red bell pepper and celery first and put them in a big bowl together. Chop the garlic and put it in a small bowl. Slice the okra and put it in a different small bowl. Slice the green onions, if you’re using them and set to the side in, yes, another small bowl.

Slice the chorizo first and then cut the chicken thighs into about 2cm cubes/chunks. Sprinkle the CAJUN SEASONING onto the CHICKEN THIGHS and mix through.

Put the largest skillet you have that also has a lid onto a medium heat. You can use a plate later if you don’t have a lid but you do need room for everything so go big on the pan. Add some VEGETABLE OIL to the pan and let it heat up.

When it is warm, add your seasoned CHICKEN THIGHS to the pan and cook them until all the surfaces are white. They don’t have to be cooked through at this point but you want to seal them all the way around. Add the CHORIZO, stir and let that cook for about 5 minutes so the fat starts to render out of the sausage because that’s the fat that will help cook and flavor the vegetables.

Move your meats to the sides of the pan to make room in the middle for the vegetables. Pour your larger bowl of ONION, GREEN PEPPER, RED BELL PEPPER and CELERY into the pan. It won’t all fit into the space you made and that’s ok. It needs to cook down for a couple of minutes and then stir the whole thing together. Let it cook for about five minutes further until the veggies have softened.

Add your GARLIC, CELERY SALT, CAYENNE PEPPER and GROUND WHITE PEPPER. Keep them handy because you’re going to taste and adjust soon. Stir those through and then give the whole thing several good grinds of BLACK PEPPER.

Make your CHICKEN STOCK and pour it in then pour the dry BASTMATI RICE over the top of everything and stir through.

Pour in your can of CRUSHED TOMATOES and stir through. Stop and taste the soupy part. What does it need more of? Salt? Heat? Tobasco? Whatever it’s missing, now’s your chance. Stir through anything you’ve added and then put your lid or plate on top and give the rice a chance to cook. Set a timer for 15 minutes.

The rice isn’t likely to be done yet but give everything a good stir and taste again. How long do you think the rice needs? If you’re within about seven minutes of it being done then you can add the OKRA and the KING PRAWNS. If you’re not quite there yet, give it some time and only add the okra and prawns toward the end so they don’t overcook.

OPTIONAL: This next part is a matter of personal preference. Meaning it is my personal preference so you can skip it if you want. I really enjoy the flavor of a little bit of not quite burned-ness on the bottom of the rice so when I add the okra and prawns I also turn the heat up to medium high and don’t touch it so a crust forms on the bottom.

When the prawns are cooked through, take it off the heat and squeeze your LEMON of the top. Scatter the GREEN ONIONS all over for some color. Serve the hot sauce on the side so everyone can customize as they’d like.