Fat Tuesday’s Jambalaya

Welcome to Fat Tuesday. We all know what that means, tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and the Lenten Season is upon us. Forty days of personal sacrifice, penance and preparation. While Lent is a somber time and Advent a joyful time, both are really the same – a time to reflect and prepare.

Oh, but we are getting ahead of ourselves just a bit. Today is all about the traditions surrounding Fat Tuesday, Shove Tuesday, and the whole Mardi Gras. It really doesn’t matter what you call this day, it’s the last day of a six-week Carnival. Just not Carnival as we typically think of it. Carnival means “remove meat”, the big forbidden food during Lent. Pretty much from the evening of January 6 (the Epiphany) to Fat Tuesday, those of means have been doing everything in their power to rid their estates and castles of things taboo during Lent. Fat Tuesday is their final day to accomplish this task. And so a party is thrown in the street, with parades and merrymaking and all sorts of food and drink. Those without help those with to consume it all.

Here in America, the big place to be for Mardi Gras is New Orleans. For me, that means just one thing – Cajun food. If you had told me just five years ago that I would be looking for excuses to whip up Gumbos and Jambalayas, I would have said no way. Oh but now, any excuse is a good excuse.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Jambalaya
1-1/2 lbs Shrimp (16 count)
1 lb boneless Chicken Thighs
1 lb Andouille Cajun Sausage
1/2 large Yellow Onion
1 large Red Bell Pepper
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Celery Ribs
1 (28 oz) can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 cup White Wine
1 teaspoon dried Oregano
2 teaspoons Parsley Flakes
1 teaspoon dried Basil
2 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Cooked Rice for serving
Chives for garnish

Peel, devein and remove tails from shrimp. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces, set aside. Slice sausage into rounds, set aside.

Peel and chop onion. Core, seed and dice bell pepper. Peel and mince garlic. Trim celery ribs, slice and set aside.

In a large measuring cup combine tomatoes with juices, stock, wine and seasonings. Set aside.

Place chicken and sausage in the bottom of a slow cooker. Toss vegetables together, layer over the meat. Pour seasoning tomatoes over the vegetables. Set slow cooker on HIGH, 3 hours 30 minutes. Walk away.

Add shrimp to slow cooker. Set for an additional 30 minutes on low for the shrimp to cook.

Make rice for serving while the shrimp cooks. You can steam, pressure cook, use a rice cooker or make the rice the old-fashion way (my preferred method) in a pot on the stove. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve, place a scoop of hot rice in a bowl. Ladle jambalaya over or around the rice. Snip a little chive for color, serve and enjoy.

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Alleluia, alleluia
Whoever loves Me will keep My word, says the Lord;
and My Father will love him and We will come to him.
Alleluia, alleluia
John 14:23