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Yellow Bayou Jambalaya

This is a recipe passed down by my family for at least 150 years. My French grandfather is from the swamps of Louisiana in a place called Yellow Bayou. He made it all the time and passed it down to my mother. She passed it down to me and my siblings.

This can be as spicy as you wish to make it but is full of flavor. This recipe makes enough to feed a large family and will still have leftovers. Enjoy!

You will need to use your largest pot (trust me), your largest frying pan plus a smaller pot.

First, dice a large eggplant, a head of celery, a large onion, a bell pepper and a bunch of green onions. Throw them in the large pot. Add a little oil and a quarter cup of water. Set the heat to medium.

In the small pot, put on 2 or three cups of rice to boil.

In the frying pan, add a full bag of pork sausage, such as Jimmy Dean and set the heat on medium. Start chopping at it until is is like ground meat. Flip it to ensure it is all browned. Then add it to the big pot. Now take a full pound of Polish sausage and dice it, then toss it into the frying pan. Brown it well, then put it into the big pot.

Stir the big pot every 5 minutes to get the veggies soft. And here’s where you now add seasonings to taste. I add tabasco sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, basil, turmeric, rosemary, sage,and filet (the gumbo stuff). Basically every spice in my kitchen except cinnamon. Now stir them into the mix. Oh yes, check on the rice. When it is done, let it cool.

After an hour, set the big pot to simmer, stirring every 20 minutes. When you are ready to eat, find a big bowl. Add half the rice and an equal measure of the mix. Stir well and then put a small amount into a regular bowl for each diner. Enjoy! Once you realize what you have here is so unique and delicious, have more. It makes a meal for everybody in your house, and yes, you can put all the extra in a closed container in the refrigerator or freezer.