Chicken & Ham Jambalaya

Name: Chicken & Ham Jambalaya
Yield: feeds 4 generously as a main course or 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients: 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1 1/2 cups chopped onion; 1 1/4 cups chopped green pepper; 1 cup chopped celery; 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced; Kosher salt and black pepper; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 2-inch cubes; 1 pound baked ham, cut in 1-inch cubes; 2 cups chicken broth or stock (to make your own, see page 168); 1 cup crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup Mutha Sauce (page 165); 1 bay leaf; 1 3/4 cups parboiled long-grain rice (preferably Uncle Ben’s); 1 teaspoon dried thyme; Tabasco sauce; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/2 cup sliced scallion

January 24, 2012

Back in the early days of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, I made a pilgrimage to New Orleans, and it seemed natural to bring some of the wonders of the Big Easy back up north. The thing that really grabbed me was jambalaya, a dish with infinite possibilities. There’s no one recipe for jambalaya because its whole reason for bein’ is to let the cook get personal and real creative with the bits of meat or fish hangin’ around in the fridge. You can give it your personal touch any way the spirit moves you. Try makin’ it with other veggies, throwin’ in some shellfish, messin’ with the seasoning—this is your chance to be a link in the evolution of one truly great leftover dish.

Cooks' Note

Here’s a double leftover idea. Take leftover jambalaya and stuff it into hollowed-out peppers or tomatoes. Bake at 350° til the veggie containers are soft, 30 minutes for tomatoes or 45 minutes for peppers. Serve with some Mutha Sauce ladled over the top.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.