Experimenting in the kitchen is one of the joys of cooking. Trying new recipes or even going off-script and tinkering with an existing recipe based on your own hunch can open eyes and treat taste buds to new flavor profiles.
Home cooks who want to expand their culinary repertoires with some particularly notable flavor can look to Cajun food and its distinct dishes to accomplish that goal. If that sounds like an exciting night in the kitchen, try this recipe for “Jambalaya With Sausage and Shrimp” from Lines+Angles.
Jambalaya With Sausage and Shrimp
Makes 4 servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces chorizo or andouille sausage, sliced into 1⁄4-inch rounds
1 lb. large raw shell-on shrimp
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib of celery, rinsed, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, rinsed; trimmed, seeded, and diced
1 small green bell pepper, rinsed, trimmed, seeded, and diced
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
11⁄2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
14 ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
4 cups clam juice
1 bay leaf
Fresh parsley, rinsed and chopped (for garnish)
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Adjust oven rack to middle position.
2. In a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, set over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering, but not smoking. Add sausage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Remove sausage from pan using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add shrimp to the pan and cook until the shells are browned on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer shrimp to a large bowl and refrigerate.
3. Add onion, celery, peppers, and garlic to the pan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add rice, tomato paste, salt, and thyme; cook until rice is completely coated with oil, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, 1⁄4 cup reserved tomato juice, clam juice, bay leaf, and sausage. Place a piece of aluminum foil directly on rice. Bring to a boil, cover pan, transfer to oven and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is almost tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Meanwhile, remove the shrimp from the refrigerator; peel and clean, discarding the shells. Remove pan from oven, uncover and remove aluminum foil. Gently stir in the peeled shrimp. Lay the foil back down over the surface of the rice and cover with lid, return to oven, and cook until the rice is tender, all the liquid is absorbed and the shrimp is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
6. Remove pan from oven, uncover, remove foil and bay leaf. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Divide between bowls. Serve.
