Jack Corker Jambalaya

Jambalay means improvise. Its about roux and beer. And Hank Williams and Fats Domino. As my mentor Boston chef Ted Laska said, feel free to put whatever is in the refrigerator there in terms of meat. Shredded chicken is popular. Using what is at hand is key. I use butter or oil more than the olive oil as described here. Okra can suffice for celery. Green or red peppers can be used. Don’t forget to put on a Louis Armstrong record.

¼ lb ham, diced
¾ lb sausage, cubed
1 can diced tomatoes
1can whole tomatoes
1 small can tomato juice
½ cup cooked rice
1 medium Vidalia onion diced
3 stalks celery sliced
1-2 cup stock [your call: vegetable, beef, chicken, fish]
1 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet pepper relish or similar
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Jamaican Pickapeppa sauce
10-12 shrimp, deveined shelled

1 tablespoon Jameson’s Irish whiskey

1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pepper, salt to taste

1- Brown ham, celery, onions, garlic in skillet of olive oil. Add Worcestershire and Pickapeppa. Add seasoning. Reserve about a half of a cup. Place remainder in large casserole or the like.
2-Add tomatos to casserole mix. When mixture comes to slow boil, add stock. Add 1 cup of water
3-Cover and cook for half hour at low.
4-Cut and Brown sausage in reserved browned celery-onion portion. Add to casserole mix. Also add sweet pepper relish. Use ½ cup of water to roux the pan and add to mixture. Cook at low for 15 minutes
5-Near the end, add rice and stir.
6-After rice is added, lightly saute shrimp. This needs to be added to mix, along with Jamesons. [If at this point you reserve out a portion of the main mixuture, and add these ingredients to that, unused Jambalaya can be stored longer than it can if you add shrimp to main mix.]

Serve with beer or ginger ale, Tabasco sauce, and buttermilk biscuits.