I haven't been back to New Orleans since Katrina. I haven't had the heart. Now with the British Petroleum Spill, Cheney's Chernobyl, showing its full force and exposing all the lies about the size and scope of the spill, I imagine that it will be a very long time. Aaron Neville is a long time friend and sometime employer. He can't go home. Aaron has asthma and the mold and rot that still is there would kill him. I won't go until he can. From what I've seen so far what rebuilding that has been done is along the lines of the Epcot Center "NEWORLEENSLAND" version of what was a vibrant and vital place.
Here's the way I do the famous dish Jambalaya. There are as many versions as there are cooks. The basics of this version are what you would be having at the legendary Tipitina's. But first, more music.
The most critical part to cooking something like Jambalaya is getting your prep done.
2 cups long grain rice, 4 cups chicken stock, bring to a boil, simmer tightly covered 20 minutes. While the rice is cooking..
Chop up the trinity, that's four stalks of celery, two onions, three bell peppers.
To peel fresh tomatoes get a big pot of water boiling, dunk in the tomatoes, when they return to a full rolling boil plunge them in an ice bath and the peel comes of sweet as you please. Cut out the nubbins, and dice.
Peel and devein the shrimp. That's a bit over 2 lbs. The secondary meat in a jambalaya can be what ever you have laying around. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey, roast chicken, what the hell ever. I've used rabbit, among other things. It. Doesn't. Matter.
Chunk up some andouille or your other favorite sausage, or a good smoked ham, and brown lightly, in a little bit of olive oil.
Add in the trinity, and saute until the onion is barely translucent. What I like to go for is a fairly al dente stage for the vegetables. I want them to hold their integrity and shape. I like to leave a little snap to them. That way, despite being jambalayaed (is that a word? if it ain't it is now) when you're biting a chunk of pepper, celery, or onion you know what you have in your mouth. If you are a mushy veggies type, by all means go right the fuck ahead. Won't bother me none.
Drain the rendered fat from the sausage, and the veggie sweat.
Two regular cans of tomato sauce, one small can of tomato paste, bring to a boil.
Add in the chopped tomatoes, as much garlic as you like, and season. I use a combination of cayenne powder, madras curry, cumin, and chipotle powder. Salt, if you must. Simmer this, stirring constantly until the tomatoes are cooked through, should take about 10 minutes.
When it looks like that, add back the trinity, and the shrimp. Cover and cook another five or so minutes.
Don't. Overcook. The. Shrimp.
Please.
Put the cooked rice in a large mixing bowl. Add in the jambalaya. Toss.
Enjoy.
