Cajun creation

Reminiscent of our paella of recipes past, this jambalaya recipe seemed familiar, and thus utterly doable. Happily, there were no disasters to report; it ended up more or less just what I expected.

Modifications:

I cut the recipe in half (not including the herbs and spices). I used four chicken thighs which were cut into bite-sized pieces after the initial browning. I added two diced tomatoes to the mix, thinking that they were integral to a jambalaya. I have since read up on the dish however, and discovered that there are a few varieties, each with ingredient and method variations.

Preparation:

As recommended by recipe reviewers, I rinsed the rice three times (I used a sieve, which was simple enough). I left the covered simmer for approximately 25-30 minutes, waiting for the 35 minute mark, before realizing that it was intended for the original 12 servings. As a result, there was a little crust on the bottom of the pan, but largely to no effect on the rest of the dish.

The Verdict:

I have some dirty laundry to air. I did not taste this one. Not because it didn't smell enticing or look delicious, because it did! So this week's verdict comes from Fok. The rice was a little mushy, which may have been due to being slightly overcooked. Fok liked the spice, but commented that the flavours could use more dimension -- something that may improve over time. The kolbasa was yummy (I did taste that), and was happy to have discovered yet another new delicious ingredient! My full assessment will follow after lunch time today, after it has gone through the overnight test.

...

The Real Verdict:

Spicy meatball! I did like the spiciness of this jambalaya (plus its added benefit of full sinus relief), though I could have seasoned it a bit more, I think. Somehow, the heat is just that without fully flavouring the dish. Does this make sense? I think it's the cayenne talking. A steaming 4 hot tamales out of 5.