JAMBALAYA TIME

Gather a few Cajuns together to cook jambalaya and they will argue for hours how it should be done. There are those who adamantly claim that all jambalayas should be brown in color, made so by the slow caramelization of onions and chicken and sausage. Others profess that the addition of tomatoes brings out more flavor. All agree that jambalayas must contain rice. And there is no end to the combination of meat or seafood that a jambalaya can include. Pork, chicken, sausage, ham, shrimp, crawfish, duck, rabbit and even black-eyed peas can be added to this wonderful one-pot dish.

Hey, check out our assortment of jambalaya mixes and you’ll see what I am talking about and they are all good! But, if you want to make your own jambalaya from scratch, here are some of my recipes to give you inspiration. Once you’ve tried your hand at making different kinds of jambalaya, you can decide which one satisfies your taste buds.

JAMBALAYA, MY WAY

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and julienne
• 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound cubed boiled ham
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices (optional)
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed with the can juices
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt and cayenne
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
• Hot sauce

Heat the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring, until they are soft and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the shrimp and ham, and sausage if using. Cook for two to three minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink. Stir in the tomatoes and chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and cayenne. Add the bay leaves and the rice. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and serve. Pass the hot sauce!

AND ON TO THE NEW YEAR Don’t forget to get your black-eye peas ready for a New Year’s Day meal. BLACK-EYED PEA JAMBALAYA Makes 8 to 10 servings

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 pound cubed ham
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
• 2 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas with jalapenos
• 2 cups beef broth
• 4 to 5 cups cooked long-grain rice
• Salt and cayenne to taste

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sausage, ham, onions, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, and the beef broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add the rice (4 to 5 cups depending on moistness desired) and stir gently to mix well. Season with salt and cayenne. Serve hot.