Ladles of Love - Recipes, Vol. 1 - by Dean P. Daniels

Dino’s Original Jambalaya

1 Cup raw long-grain white rice

1 TBLSP bacon drippings

1 Can Swanson’s Chicken Broth (*RESERVE 1/4 Cup!)

add cold water and bring to 2 Cups total liquid

1 TBLSP butter

1 TSP salt

Dash fresh cracked black pepper

Place 2 Cups liquid, butter, salt and pepper in a 2 quart sauce pan and bring to high heat. Heat bacon drippings in large skillet. Add raw rice to skillet, stirring to coat with drippings. Frequently stir rice until it toasts to just a hint of brown. Stir toasted rice into the 2 quart saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Cover tightly, reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside (DO NOT REMOVE COVER).

1 lb fresh/frozen shrimp in shells (uncooked)

1 packet or 1/2 Cup Crab Boil Seasoning*

4 Cups water

*Seasoning purchased in the seafood section at most supermarkets.

In a large pot, bring water and seasoning to a rolling boil. Cover tightly and reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add shrimp (in shells) and return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes (until shrimp are pink). Drain, peel shells and devein shrimp under cold running water and set aside or cover and refrigerate.

1 Cup chopped celery

1 Cup chopped green pepper

1 large chopped white onion

6 cloves minced garlic

4 TBLSP butter

fresh cracked black pepper

Melt butter in a large pot, add all and cook over low heat until celery is tender.

1 16oz Can undrained tomatoes, cut up and chopped

1 6oz can tomato paste

2 Cups sliced smoked country sausage

1/4 Cup (of reserved) Chicken broth

1 TSP Worcestershire sauce

1/2 TSP crushed red pepper

Stir ingredients into the large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

2 whole large boneless/skinless chicken breasts

Tabasco sauce [HOT] OR Durkee’s Red Hot sauce [MEDIUM]

1 TBLSP bacon drippings

Cut up chicken into bite sized pieces and coat liberally with Tabasco OR Durkee’s and allow to marinate for 15 minutes (best marinated overnight, refrigerated). Heat drippings in a hot skillet and quickly sear chicken pieces (DO NOT COOK). Stir chicken into main pot. Return to quick boil, frequently stirring, reduce heat immediately to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

2 Cups fully cooked diced ham

Reserved shrimp

Reserved rice

Dash Tabasco sauce OR 1 TSP Durkee’s Red Hot sauce

Stir above ingredients into the main pot, incorporating well, and cook uncovered, stirring at random, until mixture is heated through. Serve in bowls or on deep-edged plates.

Jambalaya should be thick in consistency [like goulash or Spanish rice]. ONLY IF NECESSARY should one thicken with a light colored roux of flour and oil OR thinned with chicken broth.Jambalaya is not a bland dish, always being quite assertive of itself.

(This recipe is designed for midrange heat, even with the use of Tabasco)

Replacing the 2 Cup ham portion with 1 Cup chopped tasso (added with the sausage) greatly increases the Scoville units to very hot. The further addition of 1/2 Cup chopped jalepenos or serranos and a heavy hand on the Tabasco can quickly bring this dish to a scathing quality treasured by some.

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