Down on the Bayou

I've said before that I love trying new things. In fact, sometimes it drives Nathan crazy. Instead of whatever new flavor Cheez-It is out there, he just wants the original... LAME!

So the other day I walked in the grocery store with my sis-in-law and I specifically didn't bring my wallet so I wouldn't get anything I didn't need. Well then I saw the magnificent display of Cajun spices and foods. Cajun Alligator Boudin. Say whaaaaat?! Now I have had alligator in the past but never alligator sausage. I actually came back to the store that evening just to get the alligator because I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

The only other place I have had alligator is at my mom's family reunion. They don't have it every year, but occasionally they do. Thinking about this made me crave my uncle's jambalaya. It is SO good! I would definitely say it is one of his specialties. He usually makes 2 batches; one mild and one spicy. I didn't make it to the reunion last year, and we don't live very close, so it's been a while since I've had it.

When I got home I started searching for jambalaya recipes. I went with one on Allrecipes.com. It is called Easy Cajun Jambalaya. Now I thought I remembered my uncle's jambalaya having tomato in it, so I decided to substitute some of the water with diced tomatoes when cooking the rice. Later I found out this was a mistake. I used the alligator sausage in place of kielbasa. I also added shrimp at the end, and I really liked that combo. Having chicken, (alligator) sausage, and shrimp really gave a good depth of flavor. However, my rice would not soften! Near the end of the cooking time I tasted and added more liquid and let it simmer some more. Nothing seemed to fix it. So I searched for what the problem was. I searched 'Rice still crunchy'. Here is the answer I got from Yahoo answers:

"Are there any tomato products or citrus in this recipe? The acid in tomatoes or citrus fruits can seize the rice, making it impossible to cook. If so, add your acidic foods in the last stage of cooking, after the rice is soft. OR, you may have a bad bag or rice. Try another brand."

But, now I know. I'm just grateful that it had really good flavor in spite of the rice being a little crunchy. So through trial and error I learned something very valuable, and I hope it was helpful to you. I also hope you give in to your craving for Cajun food and cook up a nice family size pot of jambalaya!