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Jerry’s Jambalaya from Mother's Restaurant

Please note that the recipe calls for a Creole tomato sauce (recipe follows). You will need to make that first (prior to starting the jambalaya). This is considered a Creole-Italian jambalaya because it includes tomatoes and Italian herbs. To the north & west of New Orleans, in Cajun country, one would not see those ingredients included (Cajun jambalaya is always brown and typically includes spicier ingredients). This is a source of endless and contentious debate in Louisiana… which version is authentic?
5 from 3 votes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz. Butter
  • 1 cup Onions diced (divided into two half cups)
  • ¾ cup Rice white
  • 2 cups Chicken stock divided into two separate cups
  • 3 Bay leaves whole
  • 8 oz. Smoked sausage sliced
  • 8 oz. Chicken diced in large chunks
  • ½ cup Celery diced
  • ½ cup Green bell pepper diced
  • 1-½ tbsp. Garlic finely minced
  • 1 tsp. Thyme fresh, chopped
  • 1 tsp. Basil fresh, chopped
  • 1 tsp. Oregano fresh, chopped
  • ¼ tsp. White pepper
  • ¼ tsp. Cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 1-½ tbsp. Flour
  • 6 oz. Creole tomato sauce see recipe
  • ½ cup Green onion tops chopped

Creole Tomato Sauce

  • 5 pounds ripe Creole tomatoes or any beefsteak tomato
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¾ cup shallots diced
  • 6 cloves garlic diced
  • 1 teaspoon thyme fresh, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon oregano fresh, chopped
  • 4 teaspoons basil fresh, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan (use a pan with a handle that can go into the oven safely), melt butter,
  • add one half cup of onions and sauté until clear. Add rice, 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 bay leaf.
  • Bring to a boil, then remove from stove and place in a 450 degree oven for five to seven minutes. 
  • Remove from the oven and hold. Rice should be approximately half (par) cooked.
  • In a heavy pot, cook and render fat out of the sausage. Remove sausage from the pot and sauté chicken in the rendered fat.
  • Sauté the rest of the onions with celery, green peppers, garlic and seasonings (thyme, basil, oregano, white pepper, cayenne pepper) in the same pot.
  • Dust with flour (sprinkle about 1-½ tbsp. on top of vegetables to thicken and flavor) and cook for five minutes.
  •  Add remaining cup of chicken stock, cook two minutes, add sausage and chicken, par-cooked rice, Creole tomato sauce, green onions and 2 bay leaves.
  • Simmer for 30 minutes or less or until done, but not too dry (add a little more Creole tomato sauce if necessary).
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.

For Creole Tomato Sauce

  • Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil.
  • Using sharp knife, score a large "X" across bottom of tomatoes. One by one, insert a fork into the stem end and plunge tomato into boiling water. 
  • Remove from water once the skin starts to peel off easily (15-30 seconds).
  • Cool (an ice bath will speed this) until safe to handle, then remove the rest of the skin.
  • Cut tomatoes in half, remove seeds and decide (you should end up with roughly seven cups).
  • Heat olive oil in medium saucepan, add shallots and cook for two minutes. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, basil and white pepper. 
  • Saute' shallots until clear. Add diced tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil, adding red wine and sugar.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour - until tomatoes begin to break up.
  • Salt and pepper to taste; puree' in blender or food processor.

Notes

The Creole Tomato Sauce is difficult to make in small quantities. You can make the whole amount and freeze the remainder for other uses, such as pasta dishes or to toss with grilled or sauteed seafood.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!