A bowl of jambalaya

Cuban Jambalaya

I love the warmth of spicy dishes which inevitably led me to explore Cajun cuisine. This Jambalaya recipe has become one of my favorites and also one of my family’s top requested meals – especially when its cold out.

I don’t remember where I found the original recipe, but I’ve made a few Cuban modifications over the years. In case you’re unaware, Cuban cuisine is not known for spicy recipes. I’ve experimented with adding different types of sausage to this recipe and found that adding dried Spanish chorizo gives it a hint of Latin flare while still retaining that Cajun punch.

Sausage adds the majority of the favor to this dish so choose wisely. Aside from the undertones of the Spanish chorizo, the single most important ingredient is the andouille sausage. This sausage has a coarser grind and provides a lot of texture to the meal. In particular, I’m enamored with Aidells Cajun style andouille smoked sausage. It also brings a small amount of heat to the party.

Package of Spanish chorizo

An important note in the preparation of this recipe is the browning of the onions and bell peppers. You want really take the browning to the limit. Cook these vegetables to the verge of burning – a deep dark brown. This will add a lot to the Cajun character of this meal.

Cutting board with jambalaya ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large yellow or sweet onions – chopped
  • 2 red bell peppers – chopped
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 4 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional – more for heat)
  • 1 1/2 pound andouille sausage cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices (if no “andouille” sausage, substitute with any smoked sausage)
  • 1/2 pound of Spanish chorizo (dried is better) cut into thin slices
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless white and dark chicken meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 pounds shrimp
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 cups medium-grain white rice
  • 8 cups of chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, season with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional). Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color.

Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Add the sausage and chorizo and cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles.

Season the chicken with salt, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional). Add the chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, scrapping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles.

Season the shrimp with salt, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper and cayenne pepper (optional). Add the shrimp to the pot. Cook the shrimp in the pot for 3-4 minutes until barely done and then remove shrimp from pot and set aside.

Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat it evenly.

Add the chicken stock, stir to combine and bring liquid to boil. Then, lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered for 2 to 3 minutes.

(For Oven Cooking of Rice: Preheat oven to 350 and cook for 45 minutes)

Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the chopped green onions and cooked shrimp. Be careful NOT to scrape the bottom of the pot and loosen any burnt rice – unless you like burnt rice.