Recipe: Mardi Gras Jambalaya

Mardi Gras, (French for "Fat Tuesday"), is the last day of feasting before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. To celebrate, try this delicious jambalaya recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups enriched white rice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound boneless, skinless white or dark meat chicken
• 3/4 pound andouille, casing removed and diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• Several drops hot sauce or 2 pinches cayenne pepper 
• 2 to 3 tablespoons (a handful) all-purpose flour 
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1(14-ounce) can or paper container chicken stock or broth
• 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) cumin
• 1 rounded teaspoon (1/2 palmful) dark chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 pound medium shrimp, raw, deveined and peeled (ask for easy peel at fish counter)
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• Chopped scallions, for garnish
• Fresh thyme, chopped for garnish

Directions

Cook rice to package directions.

Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Cube chicken and place in hot oil and butter. Brown chicken 3 minutes, add sausage, and cook 2 minutes more. Add onion, celery, pepper, bay, and cayenne.

Saute vegetables 5 minutes, sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and broth and season with cumin, chili, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire. Bring liquids to a boil and add shrimp.

Simmer shrimp 5 minutes until pink and firm. Remove the pot from the heat and place on a trivet. Ladle jambalaya into shallow bowls. Using an ice cream scoop, place a scoop of rice on to the center of the bowlfuls of jambalaya. Sprinkle dishes with salt, pepper, chopped scallions, and thyme leaves.