Cajun Jambalaya

Jambalaya History: The name is derived from several sources; the French word "jambon" for ham and the African word "ya" for rice. The basic cooking style of jambalaya was originally inspired by the Spanish dish, paella, a rice dish which also includes a variety of ingredients. When the French Acadian settlers put down roots in the swamps of Louisiana, it is widely believed that they adapted the techniques of making Spanish paella to create the dish known as jambalaya. The Acadians, or Cajuns as we now know them, practiced a simple, yet flavorful, style of cooking. They frequently used whatever fresh ingredients that were on hand. This is why there is no standardized recipe for such dishes as gumbo and jambalaya; the recipes changed according to whatever type of fish, fowl or meat was hunted and caught on any particular day. After preparing jambalaya a number of times, you'll start to improvise in the kitchen just as the Cajun cooks have done over the years!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb unsalted butter
1 cup Celery, chopped coarse
1 cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped coarse
1 1/4 cups Spanish Onion, chopped coarse\
2 large fresh Jalapeno Peppers, stems removed & diced
2 lb Andouille Sausage, chopped coarse
1/2 lb Tasso Ham, chopped coarse
1 lb boneless Chicken Thighs, chopped coarse
1/4 cup Marsala Wine
1 cup Chicken Stock or Broth
1 lb Crawfish Tails
1/2 cup Scallions, chopped coarse
2 cans Crushed Tomatoes (28 oz each)
6 cups cooked Rice

Dry Spice Mix:
1 large Bay Leaf, crumbled
1 TBS Crushed Red Pepper
1 TBS Basil
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Cayenne Red Pepper
1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp ground White Pepper

Cooking Procedure:
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the the spice mix
Mix well & set aside
In a large pot, melt the butter over high heat
Add the celery, green bell pepper & onions
Stir well & cook this down until the onions turn clear
Lower heat to medium
Add the jalapeno peppers, andouille sausage, tasso ham, chicken thigh meat & the spice mix
Stir well & cook for 10 minutes more
Add the wine & stir well
Scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching
Cook for 5 minutes more
Add the stock, crawfish tails & scallions
Cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally
When the mixture in the pot begins to bubble, add the crushed tomatoes
Stir well & reduce heat to low
Simmer the jambalayay for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
10 minutes before serving, add the rice & stir well
Let this cook for 10 minutes on very low heat
Serve the jambalaya in bowls

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