Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a heavy 3- or 4-quart casserole, fry the bacon over moderate heat until it has rendered its fat and is brown but not crisp. Drain on paper and reserve. Add the onions to the fat in the pan and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are transparent but not brown. Mix in the green peppers. They will wilt slightly in about 3 minutes, at which point the rice should be stirred in. Turn the rice about in the hot fat and vegetables over moderate heat until the grains become somewhat opaque and milky. Then add the garlic, tomatoes, the bacon, thyme, salt and a few grindings of black pepper, stirring them together thoroughly. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Add the ham and stir again.

Cover the casserole tightly and place it in the lower third of the oven. After 10 minutes add the shrimp, pushing them down beneath the rice, and continue to cook tightly covered for about 10 minutes longer, or until all of the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender. If at any point during this time the rice appears dry, add a few tablespoons more of the hot stock to it. Serve directly from the casserole if you wish, or mound the jambalaya on a large, heated platter. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

NOTES: There are probably as many ways to make jambalaya as there are Creole cooks, and its one of the best ways to use up leftover odds and ends of meat that I know. But heres a recipe that should be reasonably authentic. Its

Note: I add a stalk of
celery, chopped, and a pound of smoked sausage (kielbasa or andouille) sliced in 1/2-inch pieces.

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