Since Mardi Gras is coming up on Tuesday, we've been making all kinds of Creole, Cajun, and purely-for-Fat Tuesday dishes in the Slashfood kitchens this past weekend.

Jambalaya is a rice-based dish that is popular in the American South, and is most often associated with New Orleans. If you've been paying attention to out study of Cajun vs. Creole cuisines, you know that jambalaya is common to both.

It's not clear where the name "jambalaya" comes from. Some say it is derived from French word "jambon" for ham, "a la," and an African word, "yaya," for rice. Personally, I think it just means a "jumble" of rice, vegetables, and whatever chicken, pork, and crustaceans you have lying around, because that's what it looks like in the pot and on the plate.

At the heart of jambalaya is rice, spice, and the "Holy Trinity," chopped onions, bell peppers, and celery. From there, every recipe for jambalaya takes on the personality of its cook. It can be made on the stove top or in the oven, it can be soupy or stew-y, it can have chicken or ham or sausage or crustaceans or all of the above. It's all up to you.  

Both Cajun and Creole cuisine are known for spices liek cayenne and black peppers, but not for overwhelming, eye-watering heat. I made mine as fiery hot as I could.

Sarah J. Gim's Jamabalaya

In a large pot, brown a whole chicken that has been cut into manageable pieces in about 2 Tbsp. olive oil. I left my chicken on the bone and with the skin, but many people prefer to just use the meat. I'm too lazy, and besides, skin and fat have flavor. Remove the chicken to a separate plate.

In the rendered chicken fat and olive oil in the pot, saute 1 bell pepper chopped, 3 large stalks of celery chopped, 1 medium onion chopped, 2-3 cloves of garlic minced, and 1 c. uncooked rice. Add 2 c. chicken stock and 1 15 oz can of tomatoes, chopped, and with their juices.

Season with 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce (weird, I know, but hey, it works), salt and black pepper to taste, 1 bay leaf, a handful of chopped parsley, and about 1 tsp of dried herbs (thyme, oregano, whatever you want).

Put the browned chicken peices back in the pot along with any other meats you want. I used "Cajun-spiced" sausages that were on sale at the market, but you can use Andouille, chorizo, shrimp, ham. I also left the sausages intact, but you can slice or chop them.

Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat until the rice and meats are cooked through. Mine took about 30 minutes.

Serve in bowls. (But you knew that already, right?)