Cooking is one of my favorite pastimes. My time in the kitchen is relaxing and therapeutic, and I enjoy making people happy with the food I prepare. However, sometimes writing about food does not come easy. Sometimes there is so much going on in the world around me that writing about food seems trivial.
Currently, Covid is touching so many lives around me that it’s hard to focus on anything else. Even though I had a very mild case, it’s just not that way for everyone.
Currently, I still have no taste or smell. It’s pointless to try new recipes right now. My son made this amazing jambalaya for me over the weekend. I could actually taste it, somewhat.
This is one of my old recipes. Wes changed it up a bit by using chicken and spicy deer sausage. In my world, where everything is tasteless, this was so enjoyable!
This jambalaya recipe is super easy and comes together fast. I used a spice blend from Legion of Spice called Bayou Blue, but any cajun seasoning will work. If you do not use Legion of Spice, I would recommend that you add the seasonings a little at a time. Sometimes the salt content can be high, and you do not want to ruin the pot by getting it too salty.
Hillshire Farms has a Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Sausage that tastes great and works well in this recipe. I typically use shrimp, but as Wes did, you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes if desired.
Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound andouille sausage cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 large fresh tomatoes chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 bunch green onions green part only, chopped
- 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Add a drizzle of olive oilin the pan, if needed. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add shrimp, sausage, tomatoes, garlic, seasoning, rice, and chicken broth to the pan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer until rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in parsley and green onion just before serving.