In the Catholic church, Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday” is the last day of celebration before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. There used to be so many restrictions on food during Lent, people would have a big bash on Tuesday to use up all of the forbidden foods. For many people, that meant having pancakes for dinner, and in our house it was always “Pancake Tuesday.” Nowadays things aren’t so strict. Celebrate any way you like, and I don’t know of a better way than with Jambalaya. And maybe an Abita.
This recipe is party-sized. Feel free to halve it.
JAMBALAYA
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons butter
3 cups raw Uncle Ben’s rice
2 cans beef broth
1 can chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups cubed ham
4 hot (andouille) sausages, chopped
4 smoked (Polish) sausages, sliced
1 Tablespoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning
1 teaspoon thyme
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Hot sauce to taste
¼ cup chopped green onions
In a large, heavy pot, saute vegetables in butter.
Pour in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid, lower heat and simmer at the lowest heat possible for 1 hour. Do not lift the lid during cooking time. Shake the pot occasionally to prevent burning.
Photo by Dennis Amith via Flickr
