Jubilee Jambalaya

We have been comforted and learned from Toni Tipton-Martin's cookbook Jubilee this month.  We had some andouille sausage from New Orleans and some Caribbean roast pork leftover from dinner last week, and we combined it all into this classic jambalaya.

• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/2 cup finely diced salt pork
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions, white part only
• 1 pound smoked sausage (andouille), cut into 1/2-inch thick coins
• 1/2 cup ham, 1/2-inch dice
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, 1/2-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 Prep the pan and the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9x15-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 Parch the rice: Pour the rice onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Parch in the oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove; set aside.

3 Cook the salt pork: In a large, heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, sauté the salt pork over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the pork is slightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to paper towels to drain.

4 Make the jambalaya: Add the onions and bell pepper to the fat in the pot and cook over medium-low heat until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, green onions, sausage, and ham, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the salt pork, tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the parched rice, chicken, thyme, bay leaves, paprika, pepper, and salt.

5 Bake the jambalaya: Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and bake until the rice is tender and the shrimp are pink, about 3 to 4 minutes.
If you prefer fluffier rice, stir in the shrimp after 15 minutes and cook another 3-4 minutes until the shrimp is pink.

6 Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and cayenne, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.