Cajun Jambalaya Recipe

Boil the shrimp in the pot with minimal water. Peel shrimp and set aside. Save broth and reduce as much as possible. Set liquid aside. Toast rice in pan with a few drops of oil.

In a frying pan, brown the chicken; sprinkle with a bit of salt, black pepper and red pepper. Don't brown if using leftover cooked bird, but still season the meat. Tear or cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Remove from pan and set aside. Fry fish if used until about half cooked and set aside with chicken. Brown the sliced sausage and pour off fat. In the pot, saute the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in olive oil until onions begin to turn transparent. Add the tomato paste and let it brown a little. Keep it moving so it doesn't burn. When the tomato paste is a red mahogany colour, add the smoke flavour and 2 cups of the stock. Stir until smooth, it should be fairly thick. Add the spices, tomatoes and salt. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Add the meat and seafood; cook another 10 minutes; do not overcook seafood. Add the rest of the stock and shrimp broth, check and adjust seasonings, and then thoroughly stir in the rice. Cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid (20-25 minutes). Turn the heat down to low or medium and let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes until sauce is well thickened, stirring frequently. Serve with salad and French bread.