Chicken, Smoked Sausage, and Shrimp Jambalaya

     There's just no way I can turn this one down. Ideally, I'd be sitting on the Gulf coast diving into the crawfish-and-andoiille version of this classic, but I'm not on the Gulf coast. Also, I had shrimp and smoked sausage to work with. I looked over a few different recipes (as well as my last couple of versions of this) and tried a few different things. I'd never tried the beans before, I finally added sausage (my better half is not a fan), and I opted for Tabasco rather than cayenne. Tabasco is made with cayenne, vinegar, and salt, and I was interested in the taste of vinegar anyway. Also, I normally make everything in one skillet; this time I made the rice separate and ladled the stew over it.
     Before we continue, let's be clear about one thing. There is no set way to make jambalaya. For me, it came down to personal tastes and what happened to be in the refridgerator at the time. There are plenty of different ingredients and amounts to toy around with. I wish I'd had okra on hand! So, check out the various ways to approach this dish.
     In the end, I think it's better than my previous attempts, but there's always something new I can try in the future. I'll experiment with this one everytime!
     It's high time you throw on your apron, blast a little zydeco tune or two, and whip up your own jambalaya!

Jambalaya
1/2 c. dried black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 c. sweet onion, chopped
1 c. green bell pepper, chopped
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
1 c. chicken broth
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 c. smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled (support your Gulf shrimpers if you can)
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

2 c. water
salt to taste
1 c. enriched white rice

1 lemon

Shall we begin?
     Cover the presoaked beans with water in a saucepot and slowly boil for about 60 to 90 minutes. You will want to check on them from time to time until they get soft enough for your taste. Remove from heat and strain. Of course you can always go for canned beans.

     In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water and salt to boil. Stir in 1 cup of rice, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. It will take around 20 minutes for all of the water is absorbed - keep an eye on it! Do not remove the lid or stir the rice until it's done. When it looks ready, remove the rice from heat, and let it rest for a minute or two. Fluff it with a fork before you serve it.

     After starting the rice, melt the butter in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat, and add the chopped garlic. Around a minute later, add in the onion and bell pepper. When the vegetables get soft, toss in the chicken until browned. Then, stir in the chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, sausage, bay leaves, and Tabaso sauce.

     After about 5 minutes, add the peeled shrimp. Give them about another 5 minutes or so, and check on them. When they are pink, you are ready to go. If you use Gulf shrimp, they're already pink so give it a test or use your better judgment. When the shrimp are ready, sprinkle a bit of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper over the whole thing, and put it all together.

They are things of beauty.

     Spoon the rice into the center of a shallow bowl and cover with the jambalaya mix. I like to squeeze a lemon wedge over the dish to add dimension (you'd be surprised how many flavors you can awaken with a bit of lemon). Now you're ready to serve!
     Enjoy!