Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya

Step 1 - Seasonings:
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Step 2 - Jambalaya:
4 Tbsp. salad oil
1/2 lb. smoked ham (or tasso ham, a Cajun ham), medium dice
1/2 lb. smoked sausage (or andouille, a Cajun smoked sausage), sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 cups onions, medium dice
1 cup celery, medium dice
3/4 cup green pepper, medium dice
1 lb. chicken breast meat, boneless and skinless, diced into large pieces
1 1/2 tsp. garlic, fresh chopped
2 cups canned tomatoes, in sauce, chopped
3/4 cup tomato sauce (from the canned tomatoes)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup green onions
1 lb. medium shrimp, raw, cleaned, tails on

Step 3 - Optional Ingredients:
2 cups raw rice
4 cups water or chicken broth

Step 1 - Seasonings procedure:
Combine the seasonings together. Hold on the side.

Step 2 - Jambalaya procedure:
Fry the meat (the ham and sausage) in a large saucepot over medium heat in the oil until browned and just crisp. Add the onions, celery, and green pepper to the pot and fry for five minutes, scraping any crust from the bottom of the pan.

Add the chicken breast meat to the pot, raise heat to high and cook 1 minute or until white on the outside.

Return the heat to medium, add the garlic and the seasonings (from above), cooking for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan as needed.

Add the tomatoes, sauce and broth, bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the green onions and shrimp to the pot, simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are white and fully cooked.

Step 3 - Optional Ingredients procedure:
Traditional jambalaya has only the rice ingredient (not the water) listed above added to the jambalaya recipe with the shrimp, the liquid brought to a boil, then the entire mass is poured into a 13x9-imnch baking dish, covered and baked at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is just cooked and tender. The finished jambalaya should be very thick with some broth in it.

What follows is my suggestion for the dish—which works especially well if you have a lack of time or are going to hold the dish hot during a party:
Bring the water to a boil, add the rice, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is fluffy and just done. The rice can then be added to the hot jambalaya after the shrimp is cooked, eliminating the guesswork of cooking the rice in the oven and trying to check for doneness.

The rice also can be cooked one day ahead, placed into your guests bowls cold or re-heated in a microwave, and have the hot jambalaya poured over it.

The rice also can be added to the hot jambalaya and re-heated for 10 minutes before it is served.

Yield: six portions