JAMBALAYA SOUP
I was just thinking that I should make my jambalaya but jambalaya as a soup sounds wonderful on a chilly fall day!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup uncooked white or brown rice
- 1 pound Andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 small bell peppers, cored and diced (I used a mix of colors)
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper*, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning** (add more/less to taste)
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- (optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce)
Instructions:
First Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sausage, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, bell peppers, celery, onion, jalapeño, and stir to combine. Continue sautéing for 5-6 more minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, and sauté for 1 more minute until the garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally.
Then Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Gradually stir in the chicken stock, then add the crushed tomatoes, rice, Cajun seasoning, bay leaves and dried thyme. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue simmering the soup for 15 more minutes — being sure to stir the soup occasionally (yes, more!) so that the rice doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot — until the rice is cooked and tender.
Stir in the shrimp and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through (it should be pink and opaque, not gray).
Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Then serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes if desired.
Happy Cooking TimeJ