JAMBALAYA

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Jambalaya with chicken, sausage, rice, tomatoes, celery, and spices.

:''This article is about the food. For the song, see Jambalaya (On the Bayou).''
'Jambalaya' (pronounced or or ) is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French creation. The dish is a New World version of the Old World dish paella. A Cajun version, closely related to paella, was adopted later after the absorption of White French Creoles into the Cajun population after their fall of power in New Orleans from the Civil War.
Jambalaya is traditionally made in one pot, with meats and vegetables, and is completed by adding rice. There are two primary methods of making jambalaya.
The first and most common in Southeast Louisiana is Creole jambalaya (also called "red jambalaya"). First, meat is added, usually chicken and sausage such as andouille or smoked sausage. Then, vegetables and tomatoes are added to cook, then seafood. Rice and stock are added in equal proportions at the very end. The mix is brought to a boil and left to simmer for 20-60 minutes, depending on the recipe, with infrequent stirring. Towards the end of the cooking process, stirring usually ceases.
The second style is Cajun jambalaya, which contains no tomatoes. The meat is browned in a cast-iron pot. The bits of meat that stick to the bottom of the pot are what give a Cajun jambalaya its brown color. A little vegetable oil is added if there is not enough fat in the pot, and then the trinity (onions, celery, and green bell pepper) is added. These ingredients are sautéed until soft. Stock and seasonings are added in the next step, and then chicken or pork, and sausage are returned to the pot. This mixture is then simmered, covered, for at least one hour. Afterwards, it is brought to a boil and rice is added to the pot, which is then covered and left to simmer over very low heat for at least 1/2 hour without stirring. The dish is finished when the rice has cooked.
There is also a third method which is less common. In this method, all ingredients are cooked separately from the rice, and the rice is added before serving, already cooked in a savory stock. This is called "white Jambalaya." This dish is rare in Louisiana as it is seen as a "quick" attempt to make Jambalaya that was popularized outside of the state to ease the preparation of the dish.
Jambalaya is considered somewhat similar to a simple-to-prepare, yet filling, rice dish by most Louisianians, while gumbos, étouffées and creoles are considered dishes more difficult to perfect.
Most often, a long grain white rice is used in making jambalaya, which is mixed with the vegetables and meat, with numerous variations upon that central theme.
Jambalaya is differentiated from other traditional ethnic Louisiana dishes such as gumbo, étouffée, by the way in which the rice is included. In the latter dishes, the rice is cooked separately and is served as a bed upon which the main dish is presented. In the usual method for preparing Jambalaya, a rich stock is created from vegetables, meat, and seafood. Raw rice is then added to the broth and the flavor is absorbed by the grains as the rice cooks.

Contents

History

Etymology

See also

External links

History

A bowl of jambalaya

Creole Jambalaya originates from the French Quarter of New Orleans, in the original European city sector. It was an attempt by the Spanish to make Paella in the New World, where saffron was not as readily available due to import costs. Tomatoes became the substitute for saffron. As time went on, French influence in New Orleans and spices from the Caribbean changed this New World paella into a unique dish. In modern day Louisiana, this dish has evolved along a variety of different lines. Creole Jambalaya, or red Jambalaya as known to Cajuns, is found primarily in and around New Orleans, where it is simply known as "Jambalaya." Creole Jambalaya includes tomatoes, whereas Cajun Jambalaya does not.
Cajun Jambalaya originates from Louisiana's rural, low-lying swamp country where crawfish, shrimp, oysters, alligator, duck, turtle, boar, venison, and other wild meats were readily available. Any variety or combination of meats, including chicken or turkey may be used to make jambalaya. Cajun Jambalaya is known as "Brown Jambalaya" in the New Orleans area; to Cajuns it is simply known as "Jambalaya." Cajun Jambalaya has more of a smoky and spicy flavor than its cousin Creole Jambalaya. After the Civil War, the White French Creole population lost power in New Orleans, and was absorbed into the Cajun population. The White French Creoles introduced jambalaya to the Cajuns and it began to show up in Cajun cuisine. But being that tomatoes were rarely used in Cajun cuisine, the Cajuns omitted the tomato and developed browning of the meat for color.
The first printed reference to "jambalaya" occurred in 1872, and the 1900 edition of "The Picayune's Creole Cook Book" called it a "Creole Spanish dish." The use of the word Creole in Louisiana, when pertaining to food or other items, does not indicate race, rather indicating origin in the city Of New Orleans.
In 1968, Louisiana Governor John J. McKeithen proclaimed Gonzales, Louisiana, the Jambalaya Capital of the World. Every Spring (season), the annual Jambalaya Festival is held in Gonzales.
Jambalaya is also a popular dish in many MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) for the military. Also, Jambalaya was a very popular MRE during Hurricane Katrina.

Etymology

The origin of the name "jambalaya" is from the combination of the French "jambon" meaning ham, the French article "à la" meaning "in the style of" and "ya", thought by some to be of West African origin meaning rice. Hence, the dish was named jamb ála ya. European explorers had imported rice from Asia and Africa, and so slaves in Louisiana already had a native name for this crop; they called it "ya". The Europeans introduced to the term "ya" for rice, and it became included in the name of the dish.
The Dictionary of American Food and Drink offers this creative old wives' tale about the origin of the word "jambalaya": Late one evening a traveling gentleman stopped by a New Orleans inn which had little food remaining from the evening meal. The traveler instructed the cook "Jean, balayez!" or "Jean, sweep something together!" in the local dialect. The guest pronounced the resulting hodge-podge dish as "Jean balayez." This story is believed to be false.

See also

Similar dishes:

★ Paella

★ Pilaf

★ Fried rice

★ Rice and peas

★ Biryani

External links

★ Vegetarian Jambalaya

★ Chicken Jambalaya from Boatwright's Dining Hall at Disney's Port Orleans Resort

★ Article detailing how to make jambalaya for 120 people

★ Anecdotal history of Jambalaya & recipes.