SHRIMP JAMBALAYA (Almost a Paella)

1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 green pepper chopped
1 large celery rib, diced with tops
1/4 cup bacon drippings
2 tb minced parsley
1/2 lb ham cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Tabasco
1 can tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups rice
2 lbs shrimps, shelled and deveined
(you can substitute chicken and sliced Polish sausage for the ham and shrimps and then you have a Chicken Jambalaya)

Sauté onion, garlic, green pepper and celery in the bacon drippings at moderate heat, till onion is golden. Add parsley, ham thyme and bay leaves; cook 5 minutes stirring often. Add Tabasco, tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, 2 cups water and 2 tsp salt. Simmer 5 minutes. Add rice, reduce heat to very low and cook, covered, 30 minutes. Add shrimps and simmer, covered 10 to 15 minutes longer, till rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Check seasoning and add more salt and Tabasco, if preferred. The secret for a Paella like Jambalaya is to be very careful with amount of liquid used, not more than 2 ½ cups liquid and to move the rice only once, when you add the shrimps, from the bottom up.