Shrimp Jambalaya

Mmmmm, Mmmm, Chere! Talk about some good eating, Shrimp Jambalaya is one of my favorite dishes. Shrimp Jambalaya is a Creole or Red rice dish made with tomatoes as opposed to a meat based Cajun jambalaya that has no tomatoes and is darker from the browing of the meat. You can compare this recipe to my Jambalaya recipe that I posted last year.

Shrimp Jambalaya is very popular throughout the year but particularly during Lent when us crazy South Louisiana Catholics observe the penance of not eating meat on Friday's to make up for all of our debauchery the rest of the year! This recipe is taken from the old New Orleans Ursuline Nun's cookbook entitled "Recipes and Reminiscences of New Orleans" published back in 1971. I don't know about the rest of the nation but Popeye's Fried Chicken restaurants in Louisiana serve Shrimp Jambalaya during Lent just for us! Ahhh, eeiiii!

Shrimp Jambalaya

4 lbs large raw shrimp, peeled
3 tbls oil
1 onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 small bellpepper, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 large cans diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp salt, or to taste
2 cups parboiled rice (see Tips and Information)
3 cups water

Peel the shrimp and set aside. In a large pot, saute onion, celery and bellpepper in oil until wilted and onions are clear. Add parsley, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic and seasonings, stir well. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes.

Add rice and water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low (or warm if your stove runs hot) and stir in shrimp. Cover tightly. Allow to cook untouched for 25-30 minutes. Peek under the lid to see if rice is cooked. Stir to fluff the rice and serve with a nice salad.