Adam Roth, one of our favorite ZSCers who wore so many hats, hung out with Lee Anne before the Zeno Supper Club week and whipped up Jumbalaya. Here’s a little word up from him on the experience.

Lee Anne knows how much a southern boy loves Cajun food. And I really felt like the luckiest kid in the world when she taught me how to make my favorite creole dish, Jambalaya! It was by far the best I have ever had. I’ll be taking my newly found cooking skills to New Orleans next weekend! Thanks, Lee Anne!

Whether it’s the beginning of the day or the end, food is the one thing that always brings us together. Zeno Supper Club stands for community.

Adam’s Jambalaya

¼ cup Vegetable Oil
1 whole Chicken, 3 lbs. deboned, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 Tablespoon Cajun Spice Blend
½ lb. Andouille Sausage, diced into ½ inch pieces
1 large Onion, medium dice
1 piece Green Pepper, seeded, cored, medium dice
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 piece Jalapeno Pepper, seeded, cored, finely minced
6 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme, minced
3 pieces Bay Leaf
¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 can Diced Tomatoes, 14 oz.
2 cups Long Grain Rice
2½ cups Chicken Stock or Broth, low sodium
2 Tablespoon Hot Sauce, such as Tabasco
1 lb Shrimp, U25-30, peeled and deveined
½ cup Parsley, minced
4 cups Baby Arugula
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Heat the oil over high heat in a large, wide bottomed skillet, with high sides. Season the chicken pieces with the Cajun spice, salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, brown the chicken in the oil, and drain onto a paper towel.
2. Add the diced sausage to the same pan and sauté for 5 minutes over medium-high heat until the sausage has cooked out a bit. Add the onions, green pepper, celery, jalapeno, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and cayenne to the pan. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften and color, about 7 minutes.
3. Add in the diced tomatoes, rice, chicken stock and hot sauce. Bring up to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the heat so it is at a low simmer and stir the chicken pieces in. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp in and cook for another 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (if you need to add more liquid, add water or stock, for consistency). Remove the bay leaves from the jambalaya. Stir in the parsley, arugula (which will wilt immediately), and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more cayenne, hot sauce, or Cajun spice for added heat. Serve immediately.