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I learned a cool secret from a local camper two years ago while I was taking a walk. You know when sometimes you see something unusual you have to be curious. I tend to have a curious mind, so I had to stop and chat.
One of our neighbors a few campsites down from us was stirring a pot that smelled amazing. I said “smells good”. He replied “It’s Jambalya”. Being the midwesterner I am, the southern recipe didn’t compute into my food database, but it smelled like it should.
My visions of a Jambalya are of a southern bayou swamp stew filled with road kill and swamp water. I clearly have seen too many movies. After a few brief pleasantries I had to go get my wife (the chef) to get the low down on what was in it.
So here is my contribution to helping the Gulf Shore I love. This is his recipe for “Shrimp Jambalaya” The gulf shrimp industry is severely in trouble. My guess is the price of shrimp will start to climb very soon, so if this sounds good try and make it soon.
The secret to making it really good is to make it in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven. This is how he was making it and what caught my initial attention. So I’ll list the recipe as a Dutch Oven first then an alternate if you don’t have a cast iron one.
My wife regularly uses a Cast Iron Dutch Oven and some of the best meals I’ve ever eaten have come out of it. In fact, I never had a bad meal from it. If you want to buy one here’s the deal. Only buy a Lodge brand oven, just trust me. You can get them at most big camping stores (ie. Gander Mountain). We have a 12 quart one and it works well for everything. Get the lid lifter and pot stand as well. We hemmed and hawed and ended up buying both and they are well worth it. All you need is a Dutch Oven Cook book for more ideas and you are on a path to some seriously good food.
Easy Dutch Oven Jambalaya
5 green onions
4 T. butter
1 c. long-grain brown rice
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes and green chilis
1 can organic/healthy request cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 pkg. 14-16 oz. precooked frozen shrimp (without tails and deveined)
1 pkg. ring bologna (organic, or without nitrates, if possible)
cajun seasoning to taste
Start 24 coals and place 12 underneath 12-in. Lodge dutch oven. Dice the green onions and saute in butter for 4-5 min. Add soup, water, and rice, rearranging coals to have 8 underneath and 16 on top. Cook for approx. 30 min., until rice is almost done. Add more water if necessary.
Add can Ro-tel and ring bologna (cut in 1-in. slices). Cook for approx. 10 min. Add shrimp and cajun seasoning to taste, and cook for a few minutes until hot, then serve and enjoy.
Quick and easy jambalaya
5 green onions, diced
4 T. butter
1 c. long-grain brown rice
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes and green chilis
1 can organic/healthy request cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 pkg. 14-16 oz. precooked frozen shrimp (without tails and deveined)
1 pkg. ring bologna (organic, or without nitrates, if possible)
cajun seasoning to taste
In large dutch oven, saute the green onions in the butter over med. heat for 4-5 min. Add rice, soup, and water and cover. Cook for 30 min., or until rice is cooked. Add more water if necessary.
Add can Ro-tel and ring bologna (cut in 1-in. slices). Cook for approx. 10 min. Add shrimp and cajun seasoning to taste, and cook for a few minutes until hot, then serve and enjoy.
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