Recipe: Brown Rice Jambalaya

BROWN RICE JAMBALAYA

1/2 lb diced ham (or bacon cut bacon crosswise into thin strips)
4 chicken legs (2 1/2 pounds)
1 lb Cajun-style sausage
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium onion, peeled, cubed
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, cut in 1-inch squares
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, quartered
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp file powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3 cups chicken broth
salt
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Put ham or bacon in a 4-quart soup kettle and cook over low heat until fat is rendered. Increase heat to medium and stir until cooked, about 5 minutes.

Remove chicken skin, cut meat off the bones and then cut boneless chicken into bite-size pieces. Add to kettle or skillet with bacon or ham and toss until color turns pale, about 4 minutes. Remove bacon or ham and chicken with a slotted spoon and put on paper toweling; set aside.

Add sausage to kettle and brown all over, about 6 to 8 minutes; remove. Leave 2 tablespoons fat in kettle; pour off and discard remaining fat.

Insert metal blade in food processor. Mince garlic by adding to machine with motor on. Add onion and chop very coarsely with half second pulses. Add green pepper and process with half-second pulses until mixture is chopped to medium consistency. Add mixture to kettle and stir over low heat until softened, about 10 minutes.

Process tomatoes until pureed; set aside.

Add rice to ingredients in kettle and stir over low heat for 2 minutes.

Then stir in oregano Thyme, file, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin. Add tomatoes and broth. Stir well and let mixture to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook rice mixture 15 to 20 minutes.

Cut sausage into 1/4-inch thick coin like slices. Mix sausage, ham and chicken pieces into rice. Cover and cook until rice is tender (rice may not absorb all the liquid) about 20 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt as needed.

Stir shrimp into hot rice mixture, cover pot and let stand for 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve rice with shrimp, meats and liquid.

Servings: 8
Source: San Francisco Chronicle