RED JAMBALAYA

[Guest guest]

RED JAMBALAYA

 

Jambalaya is a Louisiana dish with French and Spanish influence. One of the

differences between Cajun and Creole cooking is that only Creoles use tomatoes,

so this is 'red' because of the tomatoes and this is inspired in the Creole

version of the dish.

 

Traditionally long grain white Carolina rice would be used, however, I like

brown jasmin and I thought it worked really well here.

 

3 cups brown jasmin rice. Wash and let soak while preparing the rest. (Or use

long grain white rice if you prefer, in which case the soaking is not

necessary).

3 cups hot vegetable broth

1/2 cup tomato paste with enough hot water mixed in to make about 3 cups.

 

1 onion, chopped

A few bay leaves

1/2 cup celery, chopped

A few (to taste) minced smoked hot peppers. We smoke our own but dried

chipotles should work well too. Just soak in boiling water, blend and add.

Another alternative, if you do not want too much heat, would be smoked paprika.

1/2 cup chopped sweet peppers, a mix in colors is nice.

1 1/2 cups okra, cut in rounds.

1 cup chopped fresh tomato

1/4 cup minced garlic.

Olive oil or butter

Salt to taste and freshly ground black pepper

 

I can fri-chik loma linda veggie chicken, cut in slices,

and/or

same amount of your favorite veggie sausage

 

I used a paella pan but one can use something smaller and deeper too. Sautee

onion in olive oil (or butter), add bay leaves, stir a few minutes, when shiny

add celery, sautee a few minutes, add the peppers, then the tomatoes and garlic.

Add the veggie chicken and sautee so the flavors mingle. Now add the drained

rice (if you use brown and soak) and add to the sautee and stir a few minutes.

Add hot broth and tomato paste/water in stages (add some, allow it to cook and

evaporate, keep adding and stirring rice) Also, salt and pepper to taste. Cook

on stove top, and I finish cooking it in the oven at 400F for the last 10

minutes or until rice is done. If you use the veggie sausage, add the pieces to

the mix towards the end of the cooking.

 

This makes 6 pretty generous servings.

[Guest guest]

Both sides of my family are from Louisiana from generations back, so I know

a good jambalaya and/or gumbo when I see one. This looks really good, and I

think I will try it. Maybe my non-veg family will like it.

 

My uncle once made the best vegetarian etouffe I have ever had--I don't know

what he did, but I would love to replicate it.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the kind words Elaine, I hope you get to try it. My (omnivorous)

partner is the one who is creole and he guided me trough the process/recipe.

When we ate it he said it tasted like jambalaya, cool!

 

What was the main ingredient in the etouffe your uncle made? a vegetable or a

meat analog? or several vegetables?

 

Roseta

 

, Elaine Pollard <elainepollard

wrote:

>

> Both sides of my family are from Louisiana from generations back, so I know

> a good jambalaya and/or gumbo when I see one. This looks really good, and I

> think I will try it. Maybe my non-veg family will like it.

>

> My uncle once made the best vegetarian etouffe I have ever had--I don't know

> what he did, but I would love to replicate it.

>

[Guest guest]

I remember it had tomatoes and was served over rice, but I don't remember

what else. It was good, and even the non-vegs liked it (his son is a vegan,

so I guess he was used to all those " crazy " variations, lol).

[Guest guest]

      Thanks for the Red Jambalaya recipe!  It looks mighty fine!  I'm gonna

have to try it soon!   I'm glad the brown rice works for the recipe, as that is

the kind I use--finding brown jasmine rice isn't too hard.  As I read thru it

I'm " mentally tasting " and it has me thinking,

YUMMM!

 

      Have a great weekend!

  --Laura B., in Illinois