It’s a new month which means using anew cookbook for a month.  One that I don’t cook from often enough.  Last month I used Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen . This month I am going a different route.  A MAGAZINE!   Now, wait!  I cleared it first with Joyce.  She said she considered cooking magazines as mini cookbooks.  Done!!  I’ve got my next ‘book’.

Here in Louisiana we have stupendous cuisine.  African.  Native American. French. German. British. Spanish.  This is a state that has had many ‘rulers’ over the years and each one added their spin to the cuisine.

North Louisiana food is different from South Louisiana. The Prairies serve different food from the Coastal areas.  And Central Louisiana, where I live, is a mish/mash of all of it. Lucky us!

I didn’t grow up in Louisiana even though I was born here so I never really learned to cook ‘our’ dishes.  But now, I am learning.  So I subscribe to a mag called Louisiana  Cookin‘ which also has a web site with some of the RECIPES  I will be sending out this month.  You really need to check them out.

Ready for some Louisiana Cuisine?

How about

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Chicken, Andouille, and Shrimp Jambalaya?

Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish that is basically Spanish and French.  It is, but it isn’t a chicken and rice dish.  It is similar to a Paella.  Actually it IS paella but the Spanish in New Orleans couldn’t locate some of their familiar ingredients so they adapted.   It usually contains the “holy trinity” in Creole and Cajun cooking: onion, celery, and green bell pepper.  There is also usually chicken, and sausage of some sort, often a smoked sausage such as Andouille. Some other meat or seafood, frequently pork, crawfish, or shrimp is also included.

The Atakapa Indians are responsible for the name.  The original word “Sham, pal ha! Ya!” means “Be full, not skinny! Eat Up!”. Spanish influence resulted in the current spelling of the name

The recipe is on the Louisiana Cookin’ website so I won’t include it here. But the ingredients include:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced

2 pounds boneless-skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1-inch cubes

1½ cups chopped onion

1½ cups chopped celery

1½ cups chopped green bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups long-grain rice

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

5 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 fresh bay leaves

1½ pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Garnish: chopped green onion

You really need to make this.  Really!  It is a wonderful example of Louisiana Cookin’!

The recipe is from the September/October issue.  Page 46

I’m linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by Kitchen Flavours and Emily’s Cooking (Makan2) Foray“.

cookbookcountdown

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