Red Beans and Rice -> To Crockpot

I'm thinking this can work if done carefully.
Cook veg separate from meat
Cook Meat set aside.  drain tastiness into veg mix
Soak Beans over night
Cook Beans and veg. All day
add meat at the end.
cook rice and serve over rice

Meat should still have character

Trinity 2 C Onion 1 C Celery 1 C Pepper
4 clove garlic
2-3 TBS Cajun Seasoning
2 TBS Parsley
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1 Ham Steak
1 14 oz. LB Kielbasa or Andouille (adjust cayenne pepper to taste)
Brown meat on high heat, set aside with slotted spoon
pour off additional liquid and reserve

saute veg and spices 3-4 min
add garlic 1 min
set aside

In a.m. add veg and beans and stock to crock
cook all day
mash some beans
add more stock till creamy
add meat
cook rice
serve over rice

Cajun or "Brown" Jambalaya

I have finally learned that there are two kinds of Jambalya.  The kind with tomatoes and often shrimps, of which I have been most familiar.  Jambalaya with tomatoes is called Creole Jambalaya, and then there is the kind without tomatoes, and often without the trinity, called Cajun or "Brown" Jambalaya.  

Apparently the Creole is served in NOLA, and the Cajun is served farther out from the city.  I really need to get down to Louisiana, and Mobile too.

And I love them both...

Cajun Brown Jambalaya

1.5 LBS Chicken - cut into pieces that fit in your mouth
1 LBS Andouille sausage - cut into pieces that fit in your mouth
  (pieces that fit in your mouth - individual results may vary)
3 C long grain rice
  (Basmati is the house long grain rice, ergo everything is "Indian Fusion")
6 C prepared chicken broth / stock 
  (I am liking the "Better than Bullion" brand of concentrate)

4 TBS = 1/4 C Vegetable Oil
  (Canola oil is really rapeseed oil.  But the original name is hard to market) 

2 Med onion, chopped fine
2 Stalk celery, chopped fine
2-3 Garlic cloves, chopped


2-3 TBS Cajun Seasoning / Emeril's Essence 
  (Recipe in another post, link to follow)

1 TBS worcestershire
1 TBS parsley 

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil 

1/2 - 1 tsp black pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 + tsp cayenne pepper (more to taste)

4.5 - 6 Qt Dutch Oven  (4.5 Qt is tight)
   Do this in a dutch oven, preferably NOT a non-stick pot.

Toss the chicken in the cajun seasoning/ spice blend, to coat.
Over med.+ heat saute the sausage in the oil 5+ minutes 
  (until browned, and mostly cooked)
Remove sausage, and add chicken
SCRAPE the brown bits off the bottom of the pan as you go. 
  (that's gonna improve the rice.) 
Remove the chicken
SCRAPE the brown bits off the bottom of the pan as you go. 
Add the vegetables, the remaining spices and saute about 2-3 minutes 
  (until wilted or "sweated" - putting the spices in now makes them more flavory)
Add the broth, slowly, to deglaze any brown bits you missed
Bring to a boil
Return the meats
Add the rice, stirring as you do 
Bring to a boil
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15/20 minutes, just like rice.

Jambalaya 2 - Freezer comfort food

This is Emeril's recipie, modified to my cooking style

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/cajun-jambalaya-recipe2/index.html

1/2 - 1 LB medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1-2 frozen chicken breasts defrosted, diced
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, recipe follows
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 med chopped onion
1/2 chopped green bell pepper
2 stalks chopped celery
2-4 chopped garlic cloves
1 can cup diced tomatoes
3-4 bay leaves
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce (red cock)
1 1/4 cup rice (basmati)
4 cups chicken stock
2-3 Andouille sausage links, sliced
Salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.

Emeril's ESSENCE ,Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Jambalaya - more uses for tomatoes

1.5 LBS Chicken
1/2 LB Andouille sausage (1)
1/2 - 1 LB Shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined (2)
2 TBS Butter
2 TBS Olive Oil
3 C Trinity: Onion, Celery, Pepper abt 2:1:1 Diced
3 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 QT Chicken Stock
1 - 1.5 C long grain Rice (I use Basmati)
3-4 Large fresh tomatoes (3)
Essence of Emril / Cajun Seasoning (4)
Paprika

Cut up Chicken to bite size pieces, coat in sweet Paprika (5)
Slice up sausage in bite size pieces (1)
Heat Butter, brown chicken and sausage in dutch oven set aside meat
sautee trinity in oils for about 8 minutes, add garlic sautee another 3 min
Add broth, tomatoes, meat, bay leaves and seasoning
simmer for 30 minutes
Add shrimp, simmer 3-5 min more and serve


(1) Many recipes call for smoked sausage, do not brown, add with garlic.
(2) have shrimp steamed at the store, without seasoning.
I spent 20 minutes cooking, peeling and deveining the shrimp myself.
(3) Trying to use up garden tomatoes. Had already peeled and seeded them.
Recipe should work with 1.5 or 2 x 14.5 oz cans
(4) http://www.gumbopages.com/food/creole.html
(5) Limit use of paprika to 3 TBS or less - sweet and overpowering otherwise.