I've got to make a big jambalaya for Saturday. My son specifically asked that my jambalaya appear (as if by magic) at his wedding on Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow and Friday are going to be busy, so tonite, just a minute ago, I lit the burner on the fish fryer and put chickens on to boil.
Four chickens tonite, boiled, cooled, boned, and bagged for the freezer. Tomorrow night I'll cut up some sausage and sautee it. Saturday morning, I'll sautee onions and bellpeppers, add rice and chicken stock and slide it all in the oven till the rice is tender. It ought to be enough to serve sixty people, along with all the other food that is going to be there.
I just went out and checked them and the water is starting a low roll. I'll give it another ten minutes, adjust the heat to maintain that low roll and let them cook for an hour. Then take them out of the water, let them cool in the night air, then peel the meat off the bones.
My basic jambalaya recipe is one chicken, boiled and boned, one pound of smoked sausage, or good andouille, one big yellow onion, two bellpeppers and two cups of rice. Salt and pepper to taste, Tabasco on the side. This is soul food for the Cajun soul, and my son is marrying a Florida native. We had her family up for a couchon de lait in January and now it is time to introduce them to jambalaya.
I'll be glad when this wedding is over. It seems that everyone is involved in some part of it, and each part affects every other part. I'm glad for the young couple. They seem to truly be a match. Still, I can breathe easier sometime Sunday when everything is back home and put away.
By the way, how far off is Andouille from Kielbasa? Apparently all I can find around here is national brands of kielbasa and smoked sausage.
ReplyDeleteAnd can you also tell me how far off Tasso is from the Smithfield ham I use as a substitute?
Seems kinda funny that I can get some stuff from the other side of the globe, like made-in-Thailand fish sauce, but I can't find andouille or Tasso.
Congrats to the Bride and Groom!!! Congrats to you too!
ReplyDeleteMy mom is known for her jambalaya around town. She always uses the biggest, fattest pork roast (usually a picnic roast because it is the cheapest) and browned sugar. Anytime there is a get together she is requested to bring a big ole pot of the good stuff. She browns the meat and fully cooks it before adding the rice. I always like to cook the meat with the rice. Adds more flavor to me. Good luck on the wedding. Later.
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