Jambalaya on the Bayou

Classic Wedge Salad

  Yield : 2 servings

Salad:

½ head fresh iceberg lettuce, outer leaves removed

2 slices thick cut bacon, diced in ¼ inch squares

3 tablespoons English cucumber, diced ¼ inch

4 grape tomatoes, quartered

2 oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

2 thin slices red onion

Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon or mix 1 tablespoon vinegar with milk

½ tablespoons sour cream

¼ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 shake Worcestershire sauce

Fine sea salt and ground black pepper

  To a small skillet, add diced bacon. Turn heat to low and begin rendering bacon fat. As grease begins to accumulate in pan, raise heat to medium, constantly stirring bacon to cook evenly. When bacon is cooked to desired texture, transfer to a paper lined plate or tray and set aside to drain and cool.

  To make the dressing, combine  buttermilk, lemon juice, and sour cream in a small mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously to incorporate ingredients. Add mayonnaise, Worcestershire, and sour cream and whisk again. Add crumbled cheese and stir gently until just mixed. Taste and adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

  Center quarter head of iceberg lettuce on a chilled salad plate. Arrange diced cucumber and quartered tomato over and around lettuce. Sprinkle with cooked bacon and crumbled bleu cheese and ladle with desired amount of dressing. Serve immediately.

Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
• 1 tablespoons Slap Ya Mama/Cajun seasoning, (adjust to suit your tastes/heat preference)
• 5 ounces (300 g) andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 5 pound (500 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1/2 small green bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and diced
• 1/2 small red pepper
• 1 stalks/ribs celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 ounces (400 g) can crushed tomatoes
• 5 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced okra (or 1 teaspoon file powder)
• 3/4 cups uncooked white rice (short grain or long grain)
• 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 pound (500 g) raw shrimp/prawns tails on or off, peeled and deveined
• Sliced green onions and chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the sausage and chicken pieces with half of the Cajun seasoning.
2. Brown sausage in the hot oil; remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining oil to the pot and sauté chicken until lightly browned. Remove with slotted spoon; set aside.
3. Sauté the onion, bell pepper and celery until onion is soft and transparent.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
4. Stir in the tomatoes; season with salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes (or Cayenne powder), hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining Cajun seasoning. Stir in the okra slices (or file powder), chicken and sausage. Cook for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
5. Add in the rice and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium. Cover and let simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked, while stirring occasionally.
6. Place the shrimp on top of the Jambalaya mixture, stir through gently and cover with lid. Allow to simmer while stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and pink (about 5-6 minutes, depending on the size/thickness of the shrimp being used).
7. Season with a little extra salt and pepper if needed and remove from heat. Adjust heat with extra hot sauce, Cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning. Serve immediately with sliced green onions and parsley.

Cajun Red Beans and Rice

  yield: 2

1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 ¼ cups of water

½ Lbs. kielbasa, Diced

½ sweet onion, Diced

½ Green bell pepper, Diced

1 Tbl of minced garlic

1 cup of Kidney beans, Drained

8oz of Chopped tomatoes

½ Tsp of Oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a large skillet over low heat, cook sausage for 5 minutes. Stir in onion, green pepper and garlic; sauté until tender. Pour in beans & tomatoes with Juice. Season with oregano, salt and pepper.

Simmer uncovered for 20 mins, serve over rice.

Cherry cobbler

  yield: 8

6 cups cherries

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into small piece

¼ cup hot water

Preheat oven 425”F

In a large bowl combine cherries,  ¼ cup sugar/brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss evenly and divide evenly among 8 ramekins that have been greased.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine flour, rest of both sugars, baking powder, and salt. Blend with chilled butter in your hands, or a pastry blender. Mix until mixture resembles corn meal. Slowly add in water and mix until just combined. Remove ramekins from oven, evenly divide mixture on top of each and place back into the oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Remove cool slightly, serve warm with ice cream.