Wow, it's been far too long since I've been on here. What with the holidays and all, everything kinda just got away from me. But, such is life. The point is: I'm back!
OK, so the goal of today's post is that I'm trying Something New. I'm going to start getting outside of my comfort zone to really try to expand my culinary horizons, as it were. This means I need to try cooking new and exciting things, things I've never before attempted. I don't know how well it will work, but we're going to start today.
So, a friend of mine recently went to New Orleans, and was kind enough to bring me back an old beat-up copy of a Cajun-Creole cookbook. Now, I've never tried cooking this type of cuisine before. Which is weird, being from the south as I am, I admit. As such, I had a choice: I could either let the book sit about and go unused, or I could stomp down my nerves and just give it a go. I opted for the latter, and I am about to share with you the delicious results!
I flipped through the book, looking for something new yet classic. I passed over several things with ingredients lists as long as my arm, along with a few that came with exotic ingredients I didn't think I'd find outside a bayou (or the internet). In the end, I opted for something I'd never made before but still recognized: jambalaya.
Ok, I bet you're thinking, "What's so special or different about that?" And I admit, once I read through the method, I realized I could prepare this without any major issues. And the method reminds me a little of risotto, what with how the rice is cooked and all. So I'm really not that far outside my comfort zone, sure. Baby steps, though. The goal is to work my way gradually into new and uncharted waters, not dive in to the deep end with nary a glance down.
Or who knows? Maybe soon I'll do just that.
For now though, the jambalaya. It turned out fairly well, for a first time out. But the seasonings it called for were very simple, and I think that more was needed to really bring the whole dish home. So I'll need to do some research, and see what I can learn. In the meantime, I'll at least share what I've got so far.
WHAT I USED!!!
2/3 cup bacon drippings (I got about 1/2 cup from a pound of bacon, so I augmented with a little veggie oil.)
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 ribs of celery, chopped
3 tsp minced garlic
1 lb. ham, cut into bite-sized chunks
1.5-2 lbs. andouille (or other smoked sausage), ditto the ham
2 cups plain white rice
3 cups beef broth (I actually used 4, but I don't think I needed to now)
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (and skinned, if you want to go to the trouble)
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
green onions, diced
parsley
WHAT I DID!!!
Get the bacon drippings good and hot in a large 8qt pot over medium heat. Toss in the onions, bell pepper, celery and garlic, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in the pan you used to cook the bacon, start browning the ham and sausage. Once the veggies are ready (when the onions begin to turn transparent), toss in the meat.
Stirring regularly, give the rice about five minutes in that skillet. Once it gets just a little color, toss it in with the meat and veggies. Add the tomatoes, wait a couple minutes for them to break down a bit, then add the broth. Season and stir well.
Drop the heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is all absorbed, about 15-30 minutes (the recipe calls for 45, but I didn't need that long). Give it a stir every five minutes or so. Once it's done, stir in the green onions and the parsley. Wait about five minutes for the onions to wilt, and you're ready to go. Serve with French bread and good beer.
Like I said, it turned out pretty tasty, but it was missing... something. I really need to do some research into those seasonings, because I feel like there should have been more to it than just cayenne pepper. Still, it had a decent amount of heat to it, and everything turned out savory and delicious. And that's something else I plan to work on: my food descriptions. I'm always kinda stumped at this point. I really ought to take more notes....
Anywho, I hope you enjoyed reading about my latest adventure. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know so I can give it a try.
Until next time, go forth and eat well!
Have you ever made tiramisu? Or tiramisu cheesecake? I would be interested to see your take on the classic Italian dessert. :)
ReplyDeleteI have made tiramisu before; it's a favorite. Never tried a tiramisu cheesecake though.... Who knows, I may need to give that a shot sometime soon lol.
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