Shrimp Jambalaya

 Shrimp Jambalaya
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I always like the idea of jambalaya - but usually find it too much work for a dish that I wind up not enjoying.  However, faithful to my plot to cook all the recipes in my mom's collection, I made this jambalaya.  This recipe is SUPER easy and very tasty!  This will be my go-to recipe whenever I get the crazy idea to make jambalaya.  As jambalaya goes, it's probably on the far edge of traditional.  There is no chicken or sausage in this version, which, according to wikipedia, is more traditional than seafood in a jambalaya.  Perhaps that's why the recipe is called "Shrimp Jambalaya" and not "Traditional Jambalaya".

I had this dish planned two different times for dinner but plans changed and, finally on the third time I actually cooked it.  Because of the delays, I pre-chopped the celery, onion, and pepper and took some left over ham slices and squared them up and froze it all together until I was actually ready to make it.

On the day of cooking I added the garlic and when it came time to add the "next 6 ingredients" I only had to dump the bin into the pan.  It had sat on the counter for a couple hours but was still a little frozen together.

I used my largest Sapphire skillet which I do not turn above "3" on my cooktop.

I broke apart the slightly crunchy/frozen veggies and didn't start the 5 min. timer until they were thawed.  There was a lot of water in the skillet but it all worked out okay.

While the first round of veggies cooked I chopped the tomato and parsley.  I knew it would only be my husband and I eating this so I cut back on some things.  I used less tomato because typically we don't like fresh tomato cooked.  Normally I would use canned tomatoes in something like this but I wanted to be as true to the recipe as possible.  Usually it is the cooked skin that I find bothersome but it was fine this time.

I used a little less salt and a little more pepper - it just seemed like a healthier option and the husband usually puts additional pepper on his food at the table anyway.

Whenever a recipe calls for cayenne I use the red pepper flakes you get when you order a pizza - just a pinch.  I used a little less thyme but the whole bayleaf.

I had a half can of chicken broth left over from something else so I figured the entire can would be about two cups.  I filled up the empty space with water and got out my chicken boullion so I could add some into the mix when I added the 1/2 broth - 1/2 water can.

I mixed well after adding the tomatoes and parsley.

Once the seasoning and broth was in the pan I mixed it up well and turned the heat up to the highest (3) setting this pan allows.

It was almost boiling when I realized I forgot to cover while bringing to boiling.

Even though I used the full amount of liquid I decided to only use 2/3 c. of rice because I wanted to make sure it would cook well and I am trying to cut back on grains.  

I found it odd that the directions said to stir the rice in with a fork.  I always get after anyone who tries to put a metal utensil into my pans.  Luckily I have a nylon fork with only two prongs.  I don't know what difference it made but I followed their direction.

This time I covered with the lid right away.  My large round lid doesn't entirely cover my triangular pan but it does fine for rice.

I was very surprised that after 20 mins. all the liquid was absorbed (especially since I had used extra liquid).  

I used the full amount of shrimp - because I like shrimp.  I'm not sure I've ever used canned shrimp before.  I wonder if it is harder to overcook and thus the reason this recipe calls for it instead of pre-cooked frozen.

It was rinsed and draining the whole time the rice was cooking.

There is another recipe for Crab Croquettes and also Thick White Sauce on the back of this recipe.  It almost seems like it was cut from a cookbook which seems like a strange thing for my mom to do but if you notice in the bottom right corner is a piece of a "2" like a page number.