Ina Garten Jambalaya Foolproof (Mardi Gras Food Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What makes jambalaya special? ›

Creole jambalaya is made using tomatoes. The 'holy trinity' of onions, peppers and celery are cooked with the meat, then the tomatoes, stock and rice are added. Everything is brought to the boil before being covered and left to simmer until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice.

A cajun jambalaya, I'm reliably informed, should be somewhat dry, even slightly browned on the bottom, which rules out the soupier, wetter texture of those creole versions using tomatoes (Oliver advises cooks to aim for a “porridgey” consistency).

Once the meat has created a good browning at bottom of the pot, add about 1 cup of water. Don't worry, we will cook this water out. You want to add enough water to be able to scrape the griade off the bottom, but not too much so that it doesn't take too long to cook back out again.

Creole-type dishes combine the qualities of a gumbo and a jambalaya. They are typically thicker and spicier than a gumbo, and the rice is prepared separately and used as a bed for the creole mixture, rather than cooked in the same pot as with a jambalaya.

The "holy trinity" in Cajun cuisine and Louisiana Creole cuisine is the base for several dishes in the regional cuisines of Louisiana and consists of onions, bell peppers and celery. The preparation of Cajun/Creole dishes such as crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and jambalaya all start from this base.

One of the biggest complaints when making jambalaya is that the rice ends up mushy. And there's two main culprits of this – choosing the wrong type of rice and over-stirring. For this recipe, you want long-grain white rice, like basmati or jasmine. Don't use short-grain rice.

Too much stirring can cause mushy rice as it releases starch. Don't be tempted to stir too much. Also, overcooking rice can lead to mushy rice. You want the water to be mostly absorbed, then remove it from the heat and let it steam to make the perfectly sauced rice.

Cajun jambalaya does not traditionally use any tomatoes, but both variations are real and authentic. Should jambalaya be thick or soupy? Jambalaya should come out like any other meat and rice dish that you'd make in a skillet or braiser. The rice should be moist, but there shouldn't be too much extra moisture.

Browned Sausage

Before you mix in your andouille or kielbasa into the pot, in a separate skillet, really brown up your sausage pieces until they get good and crispy on the outside. This will make sure they're less mushy and lend a more complex smoky flavor to the entire dish.

If it's too dry, put the lid back on to keep the steam trapped and give the rice time to absorb more liquid. If it's too wet, take the lid off to let the steam out so more liquid can evaporate. This takes practice, so don't be discouraged if it takes a few tries to get it right.

Do you stir jambalaya when cooking? ›

Here's the final challenge of jambalaya: If you don't stir it at all, you're likely to end up with a layer of blackened, burnt crud on the bottom of the pot by the time it's done. Stir it too much, and the rice will break and dissolve into a starchy mush.

Most jambalaya recipes don't call for thickeners like roux or okra, though some people use cornstarch as a thickener if the dish needs it.

A hearty blend of rice, meats, vegetables, and lots of seasoning, jambalaya is a cold-weather comfort food that is sure to please everyone. There are two types of jambalaya: Cajun and Creole.

The word jambalaya was not used in reference to a mixture of meats and fish until the early 1800s when it was included in a book of poetry published in Provence. An American publication used the word ("JAM BOLAYA") in the latter part of that century. Since 1968, when then Louisiana Governor John J.

The one ingredient that seems to be fairly constant in all Jambalaya preparations though is some kind of sausage, and preferably a smoked one. Andouille, a spicy smoked sausage native to Louisiana, is the traditional choice.

Jambalaya (/ˌdʒæmbəˈlaɪə/ JAM-bə-LY-ə, /ˌdʒʌm-/ JUM-) is a savory rice dish of mixed origins that developed in the U.S. state of Louisiana apparently with African, Spanish, and French influences, consisting mainly of meat or seafood (or both), and vegetables mixed with rice and spices.

Most commonly it consists of andouille sausage, chicken or pork, and seafood such as shrimp or crawfish. Then also included is a sofrito blend of vegetables (bell pepper, onion, and celery) and white rice. And everything cooks together making it an easy and flavorful recipe.