Jambalaya

I spent the morning reading about the fundamentals of a good jambalaya. This was what Adam and I came up with after a morning of research and brewing. 

When we got to the business of cooking up this recipe, I set this scene...

New cocktail: Gumbo Fizz
Music: Alabama Shakes (Thanks Shane and Laura for the music find, so good)

Cocktail

Gumbo Fizz

• 2 oz gin
• 1 teaspoon cointreau or triple sec
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz cream (next time: coconut milk?)
• 3 oz club soda

In a shaker, combine the gin, lemon juice, triple sec, and cream; shake well. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Add the club soda and stir well.

Ingredients

Fresh Veggie Mix:
1 spanish onion
3 celery stalk
1 green bell pepper

Chipotle Mix:
2 red bell peppers
5 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chipotle peppers in adobo

Rice:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
12 oz andouille sausage, 1/2 sliced on the bias
1/2 cup vodka
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup clam juice
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tbls fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
1 pound crab legs

Garnish:
3 tbls fresh basil
green onions

Instructions

1. Dice fresh veggie mix in the food processor, transfer to a bowl.
   
2. Prepare the chipotle mix by placing the red bell peppers and garlic on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and broil until nicely charred. Transfer to the food processor and add chipotle, puree until smooth. 
   
3. Salt, pepper, and olive oil chicken thighs. Brown in the dutch oven, but be careful not to overcook. Set aside. 
   
4. Add andouille sausage, brown, set aside. 
   
5. Add vodka and fire roasted tomatoes and cook until reduced. 
   
6. Add fresh veggie mix and red pepper flakes, cook until softened. 
   
7. Add the chipotle mix, clam stock, water, herbs, rice, chicken, and chorizo. Cover and cook in oven for 45 minutes or until the majority of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
   
8. Remove from oven, fluff the rice and add the crab meat.*
   
9. Garnish with fresh basil and green onions. 
   

*Note: The first time we cooked this, we forgot to cook the crab legs while the rice was in the oven, so Adam added the crab legs right to the pot of rices after we pulled it out of the oven. 15 minutes later we sliced the crab legs open and mixed it in.