”Canned food is a perversion. I suspect that it is ultimately very damaging to the soul.”

-John Kennedy Toole

This is a reasonably faithful approximation of the famous Cajun rice-and-meat stew of jambalaya. Like all good peasant stews, it may be tweaked as needed, especially in the protein: any of the shrimp, chicken, or sausage can be reduced or omitted for a less complex but still delicious stew.

This recipe makes enough jambalaya to feed a family of seven.

Ingredients: Spice Mix

Before beginning on the stew proper, combine the following mix of spices in a small bowl:

• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• ½ Tbsp of cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprikaHot or half-hot strongly encouraged.
• 1 tsp oregano
• ¾ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

Keep the salt, cayenne and perhaps black pepper around for later seasoning.

Ingredients: Other

• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided as 2 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
• 1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 lb. andouille sausage, cut into bite-sized roundsChicken andouille is easily available and works nearly as well as the pork variety.
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3 small to medium bell peppers, dicedRed, orange and/or yellow peppers are preferable to green, as the latter imparts a green color to the stew which not all find appetizing.
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 14-oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1½ cups long-grained white rice
• Okra, finely chopped. This dish will take about as much as you have on hand; the standard package at most supermarkets is a good amount.
• Lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Prior to turning on the stove, mix all spices, slice, chop, and dice all that needs slicing, dicing, and chopping. Open all cans that need opening. The following steps proceed swiftly.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high flame, and sautée the chicken and sausage therein until the chicken has been seared on all sides. Using tongs or a large slotted spoon, remove the sausage and chicken and reserve.
3. Add the rest of the olive oil and sautée the onion, bell peppers, celery, jalapeño and garlic for approximately six minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, rice, chicken stock, spice mixture, and bay leaf. Bring to a quiet boil, then simmer with regular stirring for about 25-30 minutes.
5. Taste-test the resulting stew and adjust accordingly, but carefully. It will likely need lemon juice and salt added to taste.
6. Add the shrimp and okra; stir to combine, until the shrimp are pink, plus another ten minutes or so.
7. Add the chicken and sausage. Keep on low flame for a further ten minutes or so, stirring as needed and adding lemon, salt, and other spices to taste.
8. Serve in bowls with spoons, with sides of salt, lemon juice and cayenne pepper to individual taste. Leftovers keep in the fridge for the better part of a week and continue to improve over the first couple of days.