Jambalaya

I saw Rick Stein cook this recently, can't remember where, but this is the closest recipe I can find. The flavours are right up my street, very close to the Galician fish stew posted previously. As usual, there is a little messing with the ingredients just to make it mostly more flavoursome.

Serves 4

2 tbsn vegetable oil
90g Chorizo sliced
3 tspn paprika
4 fat garlic cloves crushed
2 medium onions chopped
2 green peppers chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
3 fat red chillies finely chopped
4 skinless chicken breasts chunked
enough raw prawns  for 4 hungry people ( about 300gms )
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
2 tspn chilli powder
500g long grain rice
about one to one and a half litres chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil and fry chorizo gently until crisp - drain and set aside.
Add paprika and stir around for a few seconds, add onions, pepper, celery,  and chillis. Stir and fry really gently until veggies are nice and soft ( about 5-7 minutes ).

Add chicken, bay leaves, thyme and chilli powder.
Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add rice and stir around until all coated.
Pour stock in and bring up to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about  15 minutes or until pretty much all the liquid has been absorbed.
Pop chorizo and prawns into pan and cook until prawns are just cooked ( couple of minutes when prawns are pink! ) no longer.
Check seasoning and serve immediately.

This is quite spicy but so tasty with a lovely mix of textures.Definately a new favourite.

Debs