Cajun Sausage and Shrimp Rice
Back Story:
This dish is yummo! It's spicy and creamy and filled with yummy goodness! I made it up using a FoodNetwork Recipe as a starting point and then changed everything. It's essentially a one pot meal!
Kabir was maybe 3 weeks old and it was just Jay and I at home and I wanted something different for dinner. I was tired of roast chicken and tacos! Mom was in PA with Dad so it was just the two of us. I had most of the ingredients for this recipe and sent Jay out for the few things we needed. And then I started to make it with my own tweaks.. It was so delicious that I made it again for lunch the next day! We call it our Baby Shrimp Rice :)
Notes:
I use frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's, but it's just as yummy with wild rice, or basamti rice, or if you wanted you could substitute pasta. I'm a rice lover so that's a rare switch for me.
I make chicken stock. BUT it's usually used in Kabir's meals and I don't have a freezer big enough to store stock for all of us so Jay and I make the sacrifice of using store bought chicken stock. I like Trader Joes and Wegmans brand. I recently bought Kitchen Basics Chicken stock and it has a rich flavor and color. Oh! And Costco brand stock is great! It tastes yummy, and is very aromatic! Plus it comes in a little half carton (2 cups)! and it's a great price.
Lastly, you want a good cajun/creole spice blend. I am not a foodie enough to tell you what the difference is between cajun and creole and if you know I'd be happy to learn! I use The Spice Hunter Salt Free Cajun Creole spice blend. I love that it's salt free!
Ingredients:
1 -2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 a chopped onion
3-4 garlic cloves finely chopped or microplane zested
1/2 chopped bell pepper (I like green or red)
salt and pepper
Cajun/Creole Seasoning
2 links Andouille sausage (I use Aidells brand), chopped
1 lb of shrimp (20-23 ct)
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (I like baby bellas)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 - 2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of cooked rice
3 scallion chopped
a few sprigs of chopped parsley (optional)
Before you start cooking, put the shrimp in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, 2 tsp (roughly) of Creole Seasoning, salt, and finely chopped garlic. (If you have a microplane zester use that for the garlic)
Heat up the oil, and add the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Add a little salt and pepper here. Cook until onion slight browns and bell pepper is soft.
Add the chopped Andouille sausage and cook until brown.
Add shrimp and stuff in the shrimp bowl. Cook until shrimp is opaque. Then add mushrooms until cooked.
Push all the food to one side of the pan, melt the butter and add the flour. Cook the flour and then mix into the rest of the food.
Add the chicken broth to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper here to taste.
Mix in the cooked rice.
Top with scallions and parsley.
Serve with lemon wedges and a side salad.
Enjoy!!
