| What is Jambalaya cuisine and where does it come | | | | rather than their wealthier town cousins, the Creoles. |
| from? | | | | Jambalaya Recipes |
| Jambalaya cuisine is highly versatile Creole-Cajun style | | | | The most common jambalaya dish is Creole |
| of cooking popular these days in the South. Jambalaya | | | | jambalaya or red jambalaya". This dish originates from |
| is a one-pot dish cooked in cast iron Jambalaya pots | | | | the French Quarter of New Orleans. Here typically |
| or Dutch ovens. | | | | chicken and sausage are browned, then vegetables |
| Theories abound regarding the origins of the cuisine | | | | and tomatoes are added and cooked. This is then |
| many linked to the names of the dishes as they have | | | | followed by the addition of mixed seafood and then at |
| come down through time. What is clear though, is that | | | | the end rice and stock are added. The mixture is then |
| cooking Jambalaya is more of an art form than a | | | | left to simmer for 20 to 60 minutes. The story goes |
| science and its now become firmly ensconced as part | | | | that Creole Jambalaya was a best stab, by the |
| of our cuisine heritage. But know this, Jambalaya isn't | | | | Spanish at making the traditional Spanish paella at a |
| Jambalaya if it isn't cooked within the traditional cast | | | | time when saffron was too costly due to import costs. |
| iron Jambalaya pots or Dutch ovens. | | | | As a result tomatoes were substitute for saffron. As |
| Some suggest that the name Jambalaya comes from | | | | time passed Caribbean spices were added and |
| the Spanish word for ham, jamón plus the | | | | altogether this turned a best attempt at making a |
| word paella. But as ham is not a major component of | | | | paella into a new and very special dish. |
| the dish there is no reason this rationale should be true. | | | | A second Jambalaya dish, popular in southwest and |
| What is clear is the importance of Louisiana's rice | | | | south-central Louisiana, is Cajun jambalaya; a dish that |
| production and the region's original creation of | | | | contains no tomatoes. The meat is browned in a |
| Jambalaya dishes because rice is a fundamental part | | | | cast-iron pot and removed then onions, celery, and |
| of all Jambalaya dishes and very important it is too as | | | | green peppers are added and cooked until soft. Stock |
| it absorbs all the flavours of all the other ingredients. | | | | and seasonings are added and the meats returned to |
| Cooking Jambalaya | | | | the pot. The mixture is then left to simmer for one hour |
| There is an important rule in cooking jambalaya dishes. | | | | and then finally rice is added to the pot. The |
| After the rice has been added, the jambalaya should | | | | Jambalaya is then covered and left to simmer over a |
| be turned but never stirred, so as to prevent the grains | | | | low heat for half an hour without stirring. |
| of rice from breaking up. Usually jambalaya is turned | | | | The Church and Jambalaya cuisine |
| just three times after the rice is added with the cook | | | | The Church has played a big part in the cuisine's |
| scooping from the bottom of the pot to mix the rice | | | | development as church fairs, which were large public |
| evenly with other ingredients. In the largest pots | | | | gatherings demanded large scale cooking and |
| shovels are used to turn the Jambalaya! | | | | Jambalaya cuisine stepped into the frame moving |
| There are countless variations on Jambalaya cuisine. | | | | from the kitchen to the outdoor fire. |
| Jambalaya recipes can be made up from beef, fresh | | | | Great big black cast iron pots were called for as the |
| pork, chicken, duck, shrimp, oysters, crayfish or | | | | numbers needing feeding were in the hundreds and so |
| sausage, combined typically with onions, garlic, | | | | todaythe tradition continues and we have Jambalaya |
| tomatoes, cayenne pepper, green peppers, celery and | | | | pots going right up to 30 gallons. From these church |
| other seasoning; and of course, the all important long | | | | fairs and public meetings a new style of cuisine was |
| grained white rice. The typical preparation of | | | | born, jambalaya cuisine such that today the tradition |
| Jambalaya involves creating a rich stock from | | | | has spread to all kinds of meetings, political rallies, |
| vegetables, meat, and seafood whereupon | | | | family events, weddings and baptisms where the |
| white-grained long rice is added and the flavors | | | | cuisine is now popular. |
| absorbed as the rice cooks. | | | | As a final note, some suggest that Jambalaya and |
| At its heart Jambalaya is a highly seasoned rice dish | | | | Gumbo cuisine are the same; but this is not so. Yes |
| that is strongly flavored with mixes of meat and | | | | they are similar but with one big exception. In |
| seafood. In one disparaging report I read it said that | | | | jambalaya, the rice is slowly cooked in the same pot |
| Jambalaya is a very adaptable dish often made from | | | | with the rest of the ingredients, in gumbo cuisine; the |
| leftovers and any ingredients that are to hand, and | | | | rice is cooked separately and used as a base on the |
| thus traditionally it was a meal for Cajun rural folk | | | | plate onto which the gumbo melange is ladled over. |