Jambalaya

I was watching Food Network this suday, trying to keep myself occupied while Salil was working and saw this incredible Jambalaya recipe on Ina Garten's show.  I admit that this is the first time I paid complete attention to a cooking show, took notes, bought fresh ingredients and made lunch.

2 links of Andouille sausage, chopped to bite size pieces
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup roasted green peppers (use 1 cup if they are not roasted since roasting concentrates the flavors significantly)
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
3 big garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups long grain rice (I used Basmati)
10 big shrimps, peeled and deveined
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallions

Heat some olive oil in a deep, heavy bottom pan and saute the sausage on medium high heat.  Once the sausage turns brown on the edges (about 10 minutes) take it out of the pan and set aside.  In the same pan, add a couple teaspoons of olive oil and saute onions and celery untill they are soft.  Add the roasted green peppers and warm them through for a couple of minutes. 

Make a well in the bottom of the bowl by moving the vegetables to a side and add a teasoonful of olive oil.  Add the chopped garlic and jalapeno peppers.  Stir in with the rest of the mixture after 1 minute.

Wash 2 cups of Basmati rice, remove excess water and add it to the pot.  Warm the chicken stock in a separate sauce pan and add 3 cups of stock to the rice.  Cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the sausage and the rest of the stock depending on the consistency and the level of done-ness of the rice.  In my hands, the ratio of rice to liquids at 1:2 works best.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer for another 10 minutes untill the rice is tender.  At this stage, turn the heat off and add the shrimp, cilantro and scallions to the pot.  Bury the shrimp delicately under a layer of hot rice and cover.  The shrimp will steam and turn curvey and pink in about 12 minutes.  Garnish with some scallions and jalapenos!

I loved the results..the cooking time for shrimp turned out to be perfect.  This was my first attempt at the Jambalaya and I can see it becoming my go-to comfort food fairly quickly.