RECIPE: Rec: Creole Seafood Jambalaya and a grumble. Recipe from John Besh's new cookbook,

RECIPE:
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curious1

Well-known member
Besh Big Easy. I saw the recipe in Southern Living and made half of the recipe as it is written, except for chicken breast instead of thighs. I used mild Italian sausage for the fresh pork sausage. My instincts told me there wasn't enough liquid in the mix and I was right. I added more but in increments and probably didn't add enough. I thought it could have used a bit less celery salt. Other than that, it was really good and I will make it again with more liquid.

My grumble is...after I made it I started on line searches and found he makes several versions of it and watched some videos of him making it. He made it on The Chew said he always used twice as much liquid as rice. Then why is the recipe written for the same amount of liquid as rice? Even if you count the tomatoes as all liquid, that would be 3 cups liquid to 2 cups rice and in my experience a cup of crushed tomatoes isn't equal a cup of liquid.

I realize Jambalaya is not a precise recipe and he probably never makes it the same way twice, but it is frustrating to see him say one thing about liquid to rice ratio and then write the recipe a different way.

As I said, this recipe was in Southern Living and the article said it was from the book. I've not seen the recipe in the book.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creole-seafood-jambalaya

 
I have made recipes from cookbooks that, as you, I KNEW wasn't right for

what was needed to happen. It is irritating and cookbook EDITORS should be held accountable, IMO.
On another board we had a little project and cooked recipes from the book of our choice and were required to follow the directions exactly. It was interesting--of course the picture in the book NEVER matched mine on the plate, for starters!! But there was one in particular that I knew it would be too liquidy. I was doing recipes from Frank Stitt's Highlands Grill Cookbook--and absolutely wonderful and beautiful book--AND a GREAT restaurant!!

 
I just saw the recipe in the book. The ratio of liquid to rice is the same but most everything else

is different. Bacon fat instead of bacon, no chicken, one stalk celery, no smoked paprika, long grain rice instead of converted and two green onions. And the celery salt I thought made it too salty is not in the recipe in the book. I guess he does make it differently every time.

However, the Southern Living version is really good!

 
For my recipe, that also uses 2 cups of rice, it calls for a large can of tomatoes and 4 cups broth>

and then you can continue simmering it until it's as thick as you want. i leave it somewhat runny, because it sets up quite a bit later on.

 
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