Trendy gadgets may come and go, but one item has always been essential in Louisiana kitchens: a big cast-iron frying pan that sizzles eggs and andouille for breakfast and fried chicken for dinner. In addition, many cooks depend on a smaller frying pan for crisp-edged corn bread and a deeper Dutch oven for stews, gumbos, and jambalayas. Cast-iron corn-stick pans and muffin pans are also common. All are great at conducting and maintaining even heat. The dark surface is perfect for searing or deep-frying, although unsuitable for cooking acidic tomato or wine sauces.
These workhorses can be passed down for generations, burnished to a black sheen that comes only with years of use. Those who have not inherited a pan can purchase pre seasoned cast-iron cookware. Or, you can “season” it yourself by coating the interior with solid vegetable shortening and putting it in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. This simple process allows the iron to absorb the oil, creating a natural nonstick finish. The gray pan will first darken to a streaky caramel, then blacken over time.
EGGPLANT JAMBALAYA
Another signature dish of Louisiana, jambalaya is usually rich and meaty. In New Orleans and along the coastal bayous, the seasoned rice might contain shrimp and tomatoes. On the prairies of Cajun country, it’s more likely to contain chicken and sausage. This nontraditional recipe features eggplant instead and could easily be made vegetarian if you leave out the ham. Similar to paella, jambalaya exhibits a Spanish influence, but it also has strong roots in Africa, where a spicy meat and vegetable saute’ is known as a jambe’, and ya means rice.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 lb. smoked ham cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lg. bay leaves
- 1 tsp. minced oregano
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp. minced thyme
- 3/4 c. chopped green onions & tender green tops
- 1 sm. eggplant, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or veg. broth
- sea salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
l. In a deep nonreactive saute’ pan with a tight-fitting lid, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, bell pepper, celery and the ham, if using, and saute’, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. 10-15 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and cayenne and cook, stirring, just until the garlic releases its fragrance, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of green onions, the eggplant, tomatoes, stock and rice. Stir well and season with salt and black pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and then immediately reduce the heat to low. Stir well, scraping the pan bottom to be sure nothing sticks. Cover tightly and cook, without stirring, for 20 minutes. Uncover and check to see if the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. If not, re-cover and cook for a few minutes longer.
3 Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to let stand still covered, for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and stir lightly with a fork to fluff before serving. Garnish with the remaining green onion.
I hope you enjoy this recipe from the “old south” and until next time…
Bona petite!
The Cajun Queen