Ok so I know it is the middle of summer and soup is probably the last thing on most peoples minds, right? And sure I am sweating my ass off as I right this because this has been one of the hottest few days of the year. But at the end of the day I love soup and I live with the belief that there does not have to be a soup season. So last week I made Jambalaya Soup. And let me just say this is a damn good recipe...it was seriously one of the fastest ways to take me straight back to New Orleans. I love the spice, the Cajun flavors and the combo of rice, sausage and vegetables. It truly made me happy...so whether you are looking for comfort food, an easy weeknight meal or just to try something new I truly recommend this recipe.



On a side note, I do have to say that you need to be prepared for the soup like consistency to change if you have any soup leftover, as the rice definitely absorbs the broth. Believe me it is still tasty the next day, but the consistency is slightly different.

Now just in case you wanted to know a few things about jambalaya let me share with you some of my research:

• Jambalaya got its origination from Spanish paella
• When you hear people talking about the "trinity" of jambalaya they are referring to the combination of celery, peppers and onions. 

• The difference between Creole Jambalaya and Cajun Jambalaya has to do with the tomatoes, of which in the Cajun varietal the tomatoes are absent
• Jambalaya has been around since the 1830's so it has a lot of history and tradition behind it
• Originally jambalaya was made with saffron, like paella, however in America saffron was originally hard to come by and so tomatoes started to be used as a substitute. 
• The word jambalaya came from the word jambalaia which means mish mash...dang I love the phrase mish mash...and I remember my Mom using that phrase for all sorts of things growing up. 

So to begin with, brown the sausage in olive oil, approximately 3 minutes. I found chicken andouile sausage at Trader Joe's and it was perfect. It was spicy, but it did not make you cry and it had good original flavors and textures even though it was chicken. One the sausage has been browned remove from the pan and set aside.

Next add the white part of the green onions, celery and bell pepper to the pot. Cook until soft and then add the garlic and Cajun seasoning. This is the step of the recipe that makes your house smell incredible!!

Add 1 1/2 cups water, chicken broth, rice, diced tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes.



Return the sausage to the pot and season with salt. Discard the bay leaf. Top the finished soup with the green portion of the green onions.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 chicken and/or turkey andouille sausages (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise and sliced
4 scallions, chopped (white and green parts separated)
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 14 -ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt


Directions
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the olive oil. Add the sausages and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.

Add the scallion whites, celery and bell pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning; cook 1 minute.

Add 1 1/2 cups water, the chicken broth, rice, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Return the sausages to the pot and season with salt. Discard the bay leaf. Top the soup with the scallion greens and serve with cornbread.



Voila!