Jambalaya - Chef Recipe by Brad McDonald

Ingredients

20 g unsalted butter
115 g Andouille, sliced into rounds
4 Boneless chicken thighs
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bunch of spring onions, white and green parts separated, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
500 g plum tomatoes, roughly chopped in a food processor
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
20 g Creole seasoning, plus extra to serve
4 litres chicken stock
1 Tbs Tabasco sauce
300 g long-grain rice
450 g large raw peeled prawns

Creole Seasoning:

2 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
2 1/2 tsp white peppercorns
2 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 tsp paprika
7.5 g celery seeds
18 g sea salt
45 g tomato powder
2 1/4 tsp onion powder
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 g dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme

Method

Creole Seasoning:

Lightly toast the peppercorns, cayenne, paprika, celery seeds and salt in a dry frying pan, then grind them in a spice grinder. Mix with the remaining ingredients and store in an airtight container. The seasoning mix will keep for 3–4 weeks.

Jambalaya:

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the Andouille and cook for about 5 minutes, until all the fat is rendered. Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and fry until beginning to brown. Add the yellow onion, the white part of the spring onions and the green pepper and cook until translucent. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf and Creole seasoning and cook gently for 4–5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and Tabasco and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by about a third. Return to the boil and stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12–15 minutes, until the rice is about two-thirds cooked. Add the prawns and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the rice is tender and the prawns turn bright pink. Be careful not to overcook. Serve hot, garnished with the green part of the spring onions and an additional dusting of Creole seasoning.

Credits: This is an edited extract from Deep South by Brad McDonald published by Quadrille $45 and is available in stores nationally.

Photo Credits: This is an edited extract from Deep South by Brad McDonald published by Quadrille $45 and is available in stores nationally.