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Every cook has his or her own special recipe for Jambalaya. We each put our own spin on it and you can too. One of my favorite childhood memories was when our friends, Irene and Lucien, came to visit. They were a lovely, warm, sweet, generous couple and every time we visited with them, the house was filled with incredible scents of exotic food. They were originally from Louisiana and Lucien had been a professional cook all his life. I remember him as a very tall and serene gentleman. He didn't talk much, and I remember seeing him standing in the kitchen, calmly creating masterpieces of flavorful food. Irene was my idol. She was tiny, fearless and full of energy. She never let anyone get away with any bull and she didn't take nonsense from anybody. We shared the same birthday, September 22nd, although we were decades apart in age, we had a special connection.
I cherish memories of sitting down to a meal that took days to prepare. Nothing fancy, nothing fussy, just really good, down-home cooking! I treasure the recipes from those days and have one here that you can make at home.
Last weekend I put together a pot of Jambalaya in honor of Irene and Lucien, Mardi Gras and the Saints winning the Superbowl. Seemed like a perfect reason to cook. (but, then what isn't?)
So here is my version of Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare this recipe. Allow at least 3 hours before you want to eat. This is not a difficult recipe, but it does take time. Get everyone involved! Share the preparation and share the love! Put your own twist on this recipe. Write and let me know how it turned out!
For a printable version of this recipe click here.
