Spicy Jambalaya

Spicy Jambalaya

I am a big fan of one pot cooking and maximum flavour. This gives me an easier time in the kitchen without comprising my standards. This is a very comforting dish. It always looks great placed in the centre of the table. Everyone can dig in and help themselves.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2tbs olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 stick celery chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped or crushed
1lb chicken thighs boned and skinned and chopped 1inch pieces. Note you want 1lb chicken thighs left after bone and skin removed.
1 green pepper cut into chunks
1 or 2 green chillies depending on your liking for chilli
7oz of Chorizo. Skinned and sliced
1 tin of sweet corn (optional)
3 squid cleaned and cut into ½” rings (optional)
6oz raw prawns shelled and cleaned (optional)
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
10fl oz brown basmati rice
1 pint of Chicken stock
Good splash of dry white wine (optional)
½ tsp Oregano
Plain yogurt

Method:
Heat oil in large heavy bottom pan that has a close fitting lid. Ideally a large shallow casserole or Mediterranean style saucepan. Add the onion and fry for a few minutes then add the celery and garlic and chilli. Fry gently for a few minutes until soft. Now add the chorizo and continue to fry until it releases its oil. Now add the chicken thighs and cook until browned.

Stir in the rice (making sure you have rinsed it through in a sieve first) cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the rice is coated in oil.

Now add the wine if you are using it and the chicken stock. Stir through bring to the boil. Now turn to a gentle simmer and put the lid on.

About 30 minutes later add the corn and green pepper and the cayenne. Sprinkle over the oregano. Cover and continue to cook for about 50 minutes to an hour. You will need to check the liquid level in the pan. If it dries too much before the rice is cooked add a little more water or stock.

When the rice is cooked add the prawns then a couple of minutes later add the squid. As soon as the prawns have turned pink they are cooked. The squid will turn a solid white colour when ready. Do not overcook the squid.
Check and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve garnished with some plain yogurt.

Notes:
Brown basmati rice cooks better in this dish than white rice. White rice tends to lose its structure.
You can add more white wine if you wish to, just reduce accordingly the amount of stock.
The variations with dish are endless. You can omit all the seafood. You could add pineapple. A few chopped sun dried tomatoes would also work well.

Pineapple Curry

Okay the curry feast weekend was a huge success. All of the curries listed were truly delicious. I will begin to post the recipes on the blog. These recipes as with most of my cooking are always pretty relaxed. There are very few hard and fast rules. Adapt my recipes to suit your own tastes. If you want hotter then add more chilli or use less chilli for a milder result. If you don't like an ingredient, well don't use it. I always think recipes are a guide for you to build on. Time to enjoy a truly delicious recipe, Pineapple Curry. I guarentee you will impress yourself with the result.

Pineapple Curry

This is truly a delicious curry it is very easy and quick to make and simply stunning to look at.

Serves 2
Ingredients:
1lb fresh pineapple peeled and cubed
4tbs of fresh grated or dried coconut
1 tin coconut milk
¼ tsp mustard powder
1 green chilli roughly chopped (Add more chilli for hotter flavour)
12 curries leaves fresh or dried
½ tsp salt
2tbs oil or ghee
Pinch of brown mustard seeds
2 long red chillies chopped into large pieces
1tbs chopped coriander leaves

For the marinade
1/3 tsp mustard powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1-2tsp sugar (depends how sweet the pineapple is)
¼ tsp salt
1tbs water

Method:
Put the pineapple in a bowl and combine well with the marinade ingredients. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

In a blender put the coconut milk, green chilli, grated coconut and blend to a paste.

Heat oil in pan until hot. Add the mustard seeds. Within a few seconds they will start to pop. Now add the curries leaves, once they have let their fragrance into the oil add the red chilli and stir for a minute. Do not let the chilli get too dark in colour.

Now add the pineapple and stir fry for about 10 minutes.

Add the coconut paste and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes or so until the sauce reduces and thickens.

Adjust the seasoning as required by adding salt or sugar.

Garnish with the chopped coriander leave and a whole red chilli.

Notes:
To test for a ripe pineapple pick up the pineapple by the leaves. The leaves should pull out easily if ripe. You can buy a few days ahead of time and leave the under ripe pineapple next to some bananas to speed the ripening process.

Serve with simple white Basmati rice.

You could just as easily add some fresh prawns about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time for a variation.