Shrimp Jambalaya

The Junior League organizations are famous for their cookbooks. This recipe comes from the Salt Lake City Junior League’s A Pinch of Salt Lake. I remember eating this for the first time in the home of my dear friend Susan Boor, who bravely invited our entire family over for dinner and gave us a feast.

By the way, this usually takes longer to cook than it says it will.

1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 pound sausage (optional). Use a Spanish link or spiced breakfast sausages

2 medium-size green peppers, seeded and cut in 1-inch strips

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup uncooked converted long-grain rice

1 16-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken stock

1/2 pound cooked smoked ham, cut in 2-inch by 1/2 inch strips

1 pound uncooked medium-size shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1. In a heavy 3-4 quart Dutch oven fry the bacon over moderate heat until it has rendered fat and browned, but not crisped. Drain on paper towels and set aside. 
2. Add onions to the bacon drippings in the skillet along with the sausage and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are transparent but not brown, and the sausage is no longer pink. 
3. Mix in the green peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir until the peppers are limp, about 3 minutes. 
4. Preheat oven to 350. 
5. Stir in the rice and fold with the vegetables over moderate heat until the grains become somewhat opaque and milky. 
6. Add the tomatoes, bacon, thyme, salt, and pepper, stirring thoroughly. 
7. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the ham and stir again. Cover casserole tightly and place in the lower one-third of the oven. 
8. After 10 minutes add the shrimp, pushing them down beneath the rice, and continue cooking, tightly covered, for about 10 minutes longer or until all of the stock is absorbed and rice is tender. If at any point during the cooking rice appears dry, add a few more tablespoons stock. Serve directly from the casserole or mound on a large heated platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.