Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 1 cup white wine or cooking wine
• 2 cups Red Sauce – recipe follows
• 3 pounds medium mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions

• Set a large pot (not iron) over moderate heat. Saute the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery in the bacon drippings for 8 to 10 minutes until they are limp and golden.
• Add the parsley, ham cubes, bay leaf, thyme & cayenne pepper.
• Saute, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the salt, tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce and water.
• Simmer uncovered, for 5 minutes, breaking up any large clumps of tomatoes.
• Adjust the burner heat so that the mixture simmers gently.
• Stir in the rice, cover the pot, and continue cooking the rice for 40 minutes. (Do not lift the lid to check or stir the rice until 40 minutes has passed)
• Remove the bay leaf (if you can find it).
• Taste the jambalaya and add the cayenne pepper and salt, if needed.
• When almost all the liquid has been absorbed, and the rice is cooked through, turn off the heat.
• Add the shrimp to the pot and replace the lid for 5 minutes.  The shrimp should be white and cooked through when you remove the lid.  Do not overcook the shrimp.

Click below for a pdf of:
Shrimp Jambalaya