Category Archives: Main Courses

SPICY CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA

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My son’s school is having a carnival this weekend to raise money for the scholarship fund. One of the booths is a frozen casserole booth — frozen meals are donated and sold for $25.  What’s that?  An opportunity to cook?  Well sign me up!

With Fat Tuesday just a few days away, I thought something Cajun might be popular.  (Popularity is key — it’s  really embarrassing to have your item not sell, and wind up having to buy it yourself to spare yourself the shame.)  (UPDATE:  My dish went quickly, and I didn’t have to buy it myself.)  The recipe is slightly adapted from this one from Town Hall restaurant in San Francisco (yes, I know, it’s not in Louisiana).  I’ve never made jambalaya before, and I have to say, it was a lot of work. Not hard, but definitely time-consuming.  And definitely tasty.  This version has a lot of spice, but the heat was not overwhelming.  I hope whoever buys it (and I’m hoping it’s not me) will think it was as delicious as I did.

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SPICY CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Course
 
Ingredients
For the spice mix:
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
  • Pinch of celery salt
For the jambalaya:
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large onion, medium dice
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, medium dice
  • 4 ounces smoked ham, medium dice
  • 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and medium dice
  • 3 celery stalks, medium dice
  • 1 jalapeno, cored, seed, and minced
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for optional garnish
Instructions
  1. To prepare spice mix, place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine; set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven (need to have enough room for a large stockpot).
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed, ovenproof, 7-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a medium bowl and brown the remaining chicken. Remove to bowl and set aside.
  3. Add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the sausage, ham, and half of the reserved spice mix. Stir to coat everything with the spice mix and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the meat is browned and the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers, celery, jalapeño, garlic, salt, and remaining spice mix. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the bell peppers have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, broth, and bay leaves, and stir to combine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to oven, and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove the pot to a wire rack and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir to evenly combine the jambalaya. Taste, and season with salt as needed. Just before serving, sprinkle with scallions, if using, and serve.

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Ready for the oven (do you like the bay leaf sharks?) IMG_3640

 Laissez les bons temps rouler! 

SALSA VERDE

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It’s Hatch chile time!  The Hatch chile grows in the Hatch Valley, an area that stretches north and south along the Rio Grande in New Mexico.  It’s a “designer” chile, developed at New Mexico State University over the past 130 years specifically for conditions in the Hatch Valley.  The peppers come in mild, medium, hot, and extra hot, although you can’t tell how hot they are just by looking at them.  Extra hot chiles reportedly have the strongest chile fragrance.

When buying fresh Hatch chiles, look for bright green, symmetrical peppers.  The peppers should be firm, with smooth skin, and feel heavy for their size.

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The smell wafting from the giant iron roasters in front of the grocery stores entices me to purchase bags of roasted chiles every year.  Usually I go home and stick them in the freezer, where they remain until they are destroyed by freezer burn months later.  But not this year!  Recently, I purchased a package of Frontera Green Chile Enchilada Sauce, and made green chile chicken and cheese enchiladas, which were quite a hit here.

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Using my bag of freshly-roasted Hatch chiles, I made my own salsa verde, based on a recipe adapted from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen.  It was surprisingly easy and tasty, and I’m already planning to make another batch or two to freeze.

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SALSA VERDE
Author: 
Recipe type: Sauces
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound tomatillos (10-12 medium), husked and rinsed
  • 3 fresh Hatch or serrano chiles, stemmed
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Roast tomatillos and chiles, either by placing on grill or on a baking sheet under a broiler. Roast until blackened and blistered on one side, approximately 5 minutes, then turn over using tongs and roast the other side. Transfer tomatillos and chiles to a food processor or blender.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer onions and garlic to food processor or blender. Pulse to a rough-looking puree -- avoid overprocessing.
  3. Heat remaining ½ tablespoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add puree and stir constantly for 4-5 minutes, until puree thickens and darkens slightly. Stir in the broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, and season to taste with salt.

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Stir the puree constantly

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Salsa verde

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 Place shredded chicken and cheese on a corn tortilla

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 Roll ’em up, spread a little sauce on the bottom of a baking dish,

and place seam side down 

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 Cover with sauce and sprinkle with additional cheese

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 Bake at 350 degrees approximately 20 minutes,

until heated through and cheese is melted