Mom's 99 Cent Jambalaya - Video Short

To add tomato or not to add tomato, that is the question when making this classic Louisiana dish, Jambalaya. The Chef attended high school in the "Jambalaya Capitol of the World" -- Gonzales, Louisiana; so he has an answer - no tomato! However, if you order it from the Gumbo Pot at the Farmers Market here in LA, you will find it loaded with tomato and quite soupy, big city New Orleans style (a recipe that Mr."Throw down" Bobby Flay lost with) -- the exact opposite from what the Chef had in his small town high school cafateria. Don't get me wrong, I like their Jambalaya and they make a great Oyster Po' Boy sandwich, but the Chef prefers his Jambalaya dry, sans tomato.

Each spring the Chef would attend the annual Jambalaya Festival in Gonzales, where large cast iron pots would line main street with locals competing for the Best Jambalaya Recipe. When Cajuns have a street party, food is the central attraction. Jambalaya is a minimalist creation of rice and any meat. The trick is, to quote my Mom: "in the browning of the meat."

 The Chef cruelly forced his Mom to use 99c only Store sausage instead of a Cajun specialty - Andouille sausage; while the other ingredients went over well with her - chicken from Bodega Ranch Market, meaty pork shoulder ribs from Albertson's (little to no bone in these ribs!) and finally, rice, onion and cajun seasonings from the 99c only Store.

The Chef is pleased to present a video of my

"Mom's Jambalaya"

Play it here. The video runs 6 minutes 23 seconds.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 pound each, pork, chicken and sausage (or any combination - chicken jambalaya is delish on its own)
• 1 onion choppped
• 2 cloves garlic or 2 tablespoons of 99 cent garlic powder
• 2 cups rice
• 5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon of oil for browning meat
• 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning (readily found at 99c only Stores)
• Pepper to taste (add salt if you do not have cajun seasoning)

Directions
Add oil and saute meat over medium heat in a large cast iron pot (any pot really - should hold at least 12 cups) until very brown for about 30 minutes; add sausage toward the end because it browns quickly. (And take out pork and chicken if too crowded for sausage.) Remove meat and add chopped onion, cajun seasonings, pepper and saute until tender. Add garlic during the last couple of minutes.
 
Add water, cover and cook all meat at low boil for about 45 minutes. Add rice and cook for about 20 minutes more (according to rice package directions. 

After rice is done, stir meat and rice, cover again, turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes more while you have a glass of wine and set the table. Jambalaya freezes, and reheats with a microwave nicely. It's a dish that tastes better the next day.

I love you Mom!

99 Thanks to Amy and Pete Handelman for their camerawork.
 
To view or embed the Chef's video from youtube click here.