Jambalaya

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsps. Cajun seasoning mix (like Tony Chachere's)
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs.), quartered
• 1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced ¼ in. thick
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 2 cans whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ quarts chicken stock
• 1 good beer
• 3 cups long grain rice
• 4 green onions, sliced
• Parsley, chopped, to taste

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven (I use the 9-quart pot for this), heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning and saute until almost cooked through (about 4 minutes). Remove shrimp and set aside until later. Season chicken pieces with Cajun seasoning; add remaining olive oil to Dutch oven and when hot, add chicken pieces and saute until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add sausage and cook until browned.

Add onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, cayenne and thyme and cook until vegetables are wilted, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and water and return chicken to pot. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add rice to pot, stir well and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove chicken and cut into bite-size pieces; return to pot.

Add shrimp, green onions and parsley to Dutch oven, mixing carefully, and continue to cook, covered, for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Serve with warm French bread.