This Creole style jambalaya is my definition of warming, comforting food. The tomatoes make it Creole (as opposed to Cajun), and the addition of chorizo, while inauthentic, gives a piquancy and chewiness which I love. If you can, buy the best quality chorizo you can reasonably find and use homemade chicken stock for extra nutrition and flavour.
Ingredients (easily serves 4):
- 250g long grain rice
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes or passata
- 450ml chicken stock
- 2 cooked corn on the cobs or handful of frozen sweetcorn
- 150g chorizo, sliced (best quality you can get)
- Leftover roast chicken, chopped (I used the meat from both legs)
- 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 white onion
- 2 sticks of celery
- 2 green peppers
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon celery seeds
- Black pepper
- Salt (smoked salt is great in this recipe if you have it)
- Knob of butter
- Drizzle of oil for frying
- 4/5 spring onions to garnish
Method:
- Finely chop the celery, onion and green pepper (or pulse in the food processor).
- Heat a small amount of oil and a knob of butter in your biggest frying pan and add the chopped vegetables, then turn down the heat and gently soften for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and wipe down the pan, then turn up the heat and add the chorizo. When the chorizo has released its bright, punchy oil add the vegetables back in to the pan and pour in the rice. Stir everything to coat in the oil.
- Add the spices and herbs including a really good amount of black pepper.
- Add the crushed garlic and mix well.
- Fry the mixture gently for another few minutes then add most of the stock and the chopped tomatoes. Turn down the heat to allow the pan to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Cut the kernels of sweetcorn from the cob by standing the cob on its end then using a sharp knife to push downwards.
- Chop the cooked chicken and add to the rice mixture along with the sweetcorn.
- Stir well and taste the rice – you can add a bit of water or stock if it looks a little dry.
- Cook until the rice is tender and until you’re happy with the seasoning.
- Serve in big bowls with spoons, finished with a generous handful of sliced spring onion.
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