Javaher Polow (Persian Jeweled Rice)

Few dishes leave me in awe, and Javaher Polow or Persian Jeweled Rice is one of them. My awe manifests itself in a couple of different ways. On the one hand, I marvel at the visual impact of seeing the dish. Studded with fruits and nuts, it truly looks as if jewels are embedded throughout the dish. On the other hand, I am struck by the complexity of preparing the dish: to create this be-jeweled masterpiece requires time, skill and patience. Many times I feel like I lack all three, and, hence, the dish has been an aspiration of mine for quite some time. 

Yet, the dish has been around much longer than any aspiration. Javaher Polow, also known as Morasa Polow, dates back -- at least -- to the 16th or 17th century, when it graced the royal tables at Qazvin, the capital where the Safavid dynasty ruled an empire stretching from the Caucasus mountains to the Persian gulf, and from Hoveyzeh to Qandahar (which is in modern day Afghanistan). The Safavid empire was one of the longest lasting Persian empires, from 1501 C.E. to 1736 C.E.

Many consider the Safavid empire to be the period of time when Persian cuisine truly developed. It may also be due to the fact that much of the history of Persian cuisine traces back to the Safavids, with sources become more scarce prior to that time. Nevertheless, it is beyond dispute that the Safavid court gave rise to many dining traditions and many dishes that remain a fundamental part of Persian cuisine to this day. Maybe someday I will have the time to truly explore that history, which can be found in manuscripts from the chefs of the royal kitchens, like the Matatolhayat, which recounts the lived experience and recipes of Nurollah, the chef to Shah Abbas I. 

Back to Javaher Polow, this dish involves a process that, depending upon the recipe, can take a lot of time and skill. Fortunately, I found a simplified version of the recipe on Milk Street, which is the website for Christopher Kimball's Milk Street cooking school and magazine. This simplified recipe provided a way for me to try to tackle this recipe without having to master the layering of rice, avoiding the over-cooking or under-cooking of the rice, and to focus on the basics. The simplified recipe enabled me to produce a delicious rice dish that probably ranks in the top 5 of most beautiful dishes that I have ever prepared. 

Having prepared a "simplified" version of Javaher Polow, I have begun to build up the confidence to try recipes from Persian chefs. The goal is to produce an authentic version. While I have more of the skill, and while I work on my patience, I still need to find the time.

JAVAHR POLOW (PERSIAN JEWELED RICE)

Recipe adapted from Milk Street

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 4 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped, divided

Directions:

1. Prepare the saffron water. In a small microwave bowl, combine the saffron with 3 2/3 cups of water. Microwave on high until the water has taken on a yellow hue, about 1 minute. Set aside. 

2. Prepare the rice. In a 12-inch skillet over medium, metl the butter. Add the onions and 1 teaspoons salt, then cook, tstirring occasionally until softened and light golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir int eh rice, cumin, cardamom 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the grains are light browned and no longer transluscenet, about 4 to 7 minutes. Stir in the saffron water, the carrots and cranberries. Bring to a boil over medium high, then cover, reduce to lw and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid and the carrots aee tender, 25 to 30 minutes. 

3. Finish the dish. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir int he orange zest and 1/4 cup of postachios. Taste and season with salt and pepper. transfer to a shallow bowl and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup pistachios. 

PEACE.

Crab and Crawfish Etouffee

"We have a common language with food."

-- Chef Leah Chase

Chef Leah Chase was a culinary icon in New Orleans, known as the "Queen of Creole Cuisine." Her restaurant, Dooky Chase, was a center of Creole cuisine and culture, earning her many awards and honors. But, Chef Chase's contributions go far beyond food. 

The restaurant, Dooky Chase, had an important role in the civil rights movement. It was one of the very few places in New Orleans where African Americans could meet and discuss the struggles of the time. Local civil rights leaders would meet in the upstairs meeting rooms of the restaurant, while Chef Chase would serve gumbo and fried chicken. Some of those meetings involved Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Freedom Riders. As they began to organize the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, King and others would meet with local civil rights leaders at Dooky Chase to learn about the similar boycott in Baton Rouge.

The struggle for equal rights is an important part of our history as a country. That history is under attack. Such an attack is not simply an attack upon African Americans, but it is an attack upon all of us. It is an effort to deny a painful part of our past, out of a mistaken notion that our admitting to our shortcomings somehow makes us weak. To the contrary, acknowledging our shortcomings actually makes us stronger, because it is the first step toward fixing our past mistakes and building a better future. 

All of this requires us to know our true history, which inevitably and unquestionably demands that we acknowledge the contribution of everyone to our combined existence. This acknowledgment in particularly embodied in Creole cuisine. When one thinks of Creole food, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is its relationship to French cuisine, most likely because of the Acadians who migrated from Canada to the Mississippi delta. But, the true history of Creole cuisine is so much more. It is a true melting pot, incorporating African American and Native American ingredients, processes and traditions. Creole food is truly a common language that unites multiple groups of peoples, each unique in their own history, but each of whom share a common bond. 

I wanted to acknowledge that common bond when I prepared this recipe of Crab and Crawfish Etouffee. I used my No Man's Land seasoning. The mix uses a Creole seasoning base but adds sundried tomato powder and crawfish powder, both of which are ingredients drawn from the culinary history of enslaved Africans. The combination of those powders added an earthiness and almost an umami to the dish, whcih easily made up for the lack of pork or sausage. In the end, this dish was perhaps one of the best dishes that I have prepared in recent months. 

CRAB AND CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds crawfish. tails and meat removed
• 4 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flower
• 1 medium sized yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 large celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 large green bell peppers finely chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (or No Man's Land Seasoning)
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over
• Kosher salt
• Long grain rice, for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare the crawfish. Rinse well. Remove the tails and remove the meat from the tails, reserving the shells from the tails. Bring 4 1/2 cups water and reserved shells to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; let stand for 15 minutes. Strain stock and discard shells. Set aside 4 cups crawfish stock.

2. Prepare the base. Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly until light blond in color, about 3 minutes. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the creole seasoning, bay leaf and thyme and cook, stirring constantly 1 minute. Add stock, cook, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. 

3. Add crawfish and crab meat. Add the crawfish and crab meat. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Season with Kosher salt to taste. Serve over rice.

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Seychelles

Seychelles is an interesting combination of the littlest and the greatest. The one hundred and fifty-five islands that comprise the country, which lie in the Indian Ocean, make Seychelles one of the smallest countries in Africa by square miles. The estimated 100,600 people who live on those islands makes the Seychelles the least populated country in Africa. Yet, Seychelles has the highest nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of any African country, which means its residents have relatively the highest standard of living. It is also ranked the highest electoral democracy in Africa, and forty-third in the world. That is quite the combination for a country whose islands laid uninhabited prior to the 18th century.

The French were the first to occupy and claim the islands in 1756, naming them after Louis XV's Minister of Finance, Jean Moreau de Sechelles. As the French settled on the islands, they brought with them an order that was familiar in the colonial era. Helene Frichot, an architectural author, recounted this historical order in one of her essays:

Originally, when the French plantocracy settled, habitations -- strips of land - were marked from mountain peak to shore, parcelled out for the mostly large, conservative, Catholic families. These families assumed a certain order of things, divided strictly along lines of colour: those who owned and governed, and those obliged to labour. As Mairi O'Gorman argues in her research on the Seychelles, property, espeically when organised according to a plantation regime, is racialised: ownership assumes whiteness, while labor is delegated to Brown and Black people.

And, French settlers brought with them enslaved African men, women and children to work on these new plantations. The British Empire took control of the islands less than fifty years later, with the Treaty of Paris in 1814. The British allowed the use of enslaved Africans to continue, and they began to bring indentured servants from the Indian subcontinent and other parts of Asia to work on the islands. The result was a society that had French plantation owners, the British administrative elite, and a large number of African and Asian laborers, traders and shopkeepers. 

This mix of people and cultures on the islands led to the emergence of the Seychellois Creole, an ethnic group that combines African, Asian and European influences into one common identity with a language and culture of its own. The Seychellois Creole language, Seselwa, is rooted in French, but it has incorporated aspects of African and Malagasy languages, as wells as terms and phrases from English and Hindi. E, kot i konsern manze, lenfliyans Lafrik, Lazi e Eropeen is disifil pou manke. ("And, when it comes to food, the African, Asian and European influences are hard to miss." - My attempt at Seselwa using Google translate.)

Le Jardin du Roi, Mahe, Seychelles
(Source: Runaway Lodge)

As for Seychelles cuisine, its story can be told, in part, with reference to a garden, Le Jardin du Roi, that the French settlers started in 1772.  One of those colonists, Pierre Poivre, wanted to get into the spice trade. Poivre himself was quite the story. He spent his early years as a missionary, living in Cochinchina (later known as Vietnam), Guangzhou, and Macau. He left missionary work to join the French East Indies Company, where he presumably came into contact with the spice trade. By 1772, he was living between Mauritius and the Seychelles, and wanted those islands to be part of that trade. Poivre's entre into the spice word was not very Christian-like. He decided that he would set out on a vessel to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and the Moluccas (now part of Indonesia). His goal: to steal the spices and bring them back to French-controlled islands where they could be planted and then France could have its own source.  Poivre actually stole the spices and brought them back to the Seychelles. However, as Poivre returned from his voyage in 1780, the governor mistook Poivre's vessel for an enemy ship. The governor destroyed the growing garden. Spices were too valuable to have fall into the hands of the enemy. 

Le Jardin du Roi ultimately survived and grew into 25 hectares where more than 120 species of fruits and spices were cultivated. That variety is one of the defining characteristics of Seychellois Creole cuisine. Recipes use a range of spices, including chiles, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, and much more. The cuisine also features a range of seafood dishes, which one would expect from an island nation. 

MAIN COURSE

This personal culinary challenge showcases a cuisine that reflects how influences from around the world come together in amazing dishes. The challenge involves the preparation of a Seychellois Octopus Curry. The cephalopods could be found around many of the islands, such as Cousine. That availability led to this curry, which is a popular dish in the Seychelles. 

This demand created a fishery for octopi in the Seychelles. Many look for the creatures around the coral barrier reefs, while others, like a fisherman named Dave Auguste, go further out into the ocean. Auguste has fished for octopus for more than twenty years. When the COVID pandemic hit, the tourist trade (which is important to the Seychelles) crashed, and so did the market for expensive seafood like octopus. As the world gradually reopened and tourists returned, so did the demand for octopus. 

Dave Auguste with his catch (Source: United Nations, Photo: Douglas Okwatch)

Dave Auguste found one longer lasting change ... there were less of the cephalopods to catch. This change is not the result of COVID, but other factors.  In an article published by the United Nations, Auguste explained: 

There are fewer and fewer octopuses now. Before, I used to find them close to shore, but now I have to go further out. Again, for the last ten years or so, going out to sea has become more complicated because the sea has become rougher and the currents stronger. If I am not careful I can drift away from shore.

Indeed, climate change has affected the work of those who fish the waters around the Seychelles.  Auguste explained that there has been a change in rain patterns: "we used to have rainy periods that lasted several days, now it rains the same amount for one day and it all runs off into the sea." The prolonged rains and the runoff cause the waters close to shore to take on a reddish hue. The octopi do not like the tinged water and move further offshore. An additional factor is that, due to warming temperatures in the sea, there are some areas of the barrier reefs where up to 90% of the coral have died.

Not all of the news is bad. The Seychelles has taken proactive steps to stem the damage caused by changes in the climate. These steps include imposing quotas on seafood catches, expanding the range of protected marine areas, and implementing reef restoration projects. This has required some adjustment and adaptation, especially for those who work in the seafood industry, which makes up 27% of the Seychelles gross domestic product. This sacrifice, as well as, the conservation efforts, may not be enough if the climate continues to change. 

Turning to the challenge, I have prepared whole octopus in the past, but I decided for this dish that I would use pre-cooked octopus, which is available online or from some warehouse stores. Each package usually has 2-3 large tentacles, which may be less than a kilogram but still enough to prepare a meal for at least 2-3 people. The pre-cooked octopus also saves a lot of time (basically you can skip step 1). 

OCTOPUS CURRY

Recipe from Tourism Seychelles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 kilogram octopus
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh coconut milk (substitute 1 can coconut milk or cream)
• 2 teaspoons saffron
• 1 onion
• Fresh thyme
• 3 garlic cloves
• Ginger (a little bit)
• 1 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)
• Cinnamon sticks
• Curry Leaves
• Oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the octopus. Add the octopus to a pot and fill it with water. Boil until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending upon the size. Use a fork to check if the octopus is soft enough. Once the octopus is done, cut it into pieces

2. Prepare the curry. In a saucepan, add the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, saffron, curry powder, cinnamon sticks, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix and the add the octopus pieces. Fry the octopus pieces for a few minutes and then add the coconut milk and stir. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, as the sauce thickens. 

3. Finish the dish. Once cooked, serve with some white rice, lentils and papaya chutney. 

SIDE DISH

Ordinarily, as noted above, one would prepare white rice to serve with an octopus curry. Seychellois cuisine is known for its creole rice, a dish that is shared -- in some common form -- by creole cultures around the world. Rice is a staple food in the Seychelles, often accompanying main dishes. Yet, cultivation of rice cannot occur on a large enough scale on the islands to support its population. (Indeed, while the Seychelles may have an abundance of spices and access to seafood, it actually imports much of its other food.) Most of the rice comes from India, with smaller amounts imported from countries such as Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, France and South Africa.

This personal culinary challenge gave me an opportunity to prepare creole rice and, to do so using the wide range of spices drawn from the subcontinent and southeastern Asia. The recipe shows that diversity with garlic, ginger, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and turmeric. I knew that I had to prepare this dish, which I served alongside the octopus curry.

SEYCHELLES CREOLE RICE

Recipe from Amy's Cooking Adventures

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 red bell pepper diced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 onion diced (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• Fresh parsley to garnish

Directions:

1. Saute the vegetables. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, spices and rice and cook for another minute. Stir in the water and bring to a low boil. 

2. Finish the dish. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Fluff the rice, garnish with parsley and serve. 

*          *          *

To be honest, I had not expected to do a personal culinary challenge involving the Seychelles. I had previously done one for Mauritius, when I prepared an amazing duck curry. However, I really wanted to prepare this octopus curry and that led me to add this to the Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge. It is a decision that I will never regret, because it opened a door to exploring a creole culture and cuisine that draws inspiration from the diverse populations that have come to live on the Seychelles islands.  

Each of these dishes was a success, and, perhaps, some of the best dishes that I have prepared in recent weeks. This challenge has inspired me to move on to the next one. Check back to see where I end up. Until then ... 

PEACE.

Louis Armstrong's Creole Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Ricely Yours,

-- Louis Armstrong

That is how the Great Satchmo, Louis Armstrong, signed his correspondence. This signature was Armstrong's nod to one of his most favorite dishes, red beans and rice. This dish has a long history in New Orleans, Louisiana, where Louis Armstrong was born and raised. It was often deemed the dish for Monday dinners, a simple one to prepare while engaged in a long day of work. One could simply get the pot going, leave it alone for a few hours, and return to finish preparing the meal. 

The highlighted ingredient of this dish - red beans - has a very special place in the cuisine of New Orleans. Indeed, the Crescent City is really a red bean city, in the words of Willie May Seaton, of the famous Scotch House.  The Federal Writers Project - which I have posted about before - likened the red bean in New Orleans to the white bean in Boston or the cowpea to any city in South Carolina. 

The one indisputable fact is that Red Beans and Rice not only had a place in the correspondence of Louis Armstrong, but also in his heart. Patrick Jarenwattananon once wrote about Armstrong's love for the dish in an article for National Public Radio. He quoted from Armstrong's own work, In His Own Words: Selected Writings (ed. Thomas Bros. 1970), in which Louis recounted the dish prepared by Lucille, who he would later marry: 

The Red Beans + Rice that Lucille cooked for me was just what the Doctor ordered. Very much delicious and I ate just like a dog. I said forgive me after I had finished eating. I just had to make some kind of excuse. She accepted it very cheerful. Because I am sure that Lucille has never witnessed any one Human Being eating so much. Especially at one sitting. I had her to save the rest of the beans that was left over. Then I'd come another time and finish them. We commenced getting closer 'n' closer as time went by. 

I guess one could say that Louis Armstrong's love of this one dish led to the greater love of his life.

The special place of Red Beans and Rice led those close to him to memorialize the dish for posterity. In fact, one can find numerous pages that include the recipe, which is set forth to the right. 

I decided that I would make this dish, principally because of my love of Louis Armstrong's music. It is that love that led me to use salt pork (which I generally avoid for health reasons) and ham hocks (which, I'll be honest, I had not used in cooking before). Yet, with Louis Armstrong's songs playing in the background, I assumed the role of a cook, trying my best to recreate the recipe that would have been prepared for the Great Satchmo. That's when I remembered one important thing about recipes: they may list all of the ingredients and provide the directions, but recipe's rarely capture the cook's special touch. The knowledge of exactly how long to let things simmer, how to eyeball salt to get the right "taste," and other aspects that one develops as they make the dish over and over again over time. 

My first effort to make Louis Armstrong's Red Beans and Rice was a success in my humble opinion. I made a tasty dish that may not have gotten Pop's attention, but it definitely made a few great meals for me.

CREOLE RED BEANS AND RICE

Recipe from Louis Armstrong

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for beans):

• 1 pound kidney beans
• 1/2 pound salt pork (strip of lean, strip of fat, slab bacon may be used if preferred)
• 1 small can of tomato sauce (if desired)
• 6 small Ham Hocks or one smoked pork butt
• 2 onions diced
• 1/4 green bell pepper
• 5 tiny or 2 medium dried peppers
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• Salt, to taste

Ingredients (for rice)

• 2 cups white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Prepare the beans. Wash beans thoroughly, then soak overnight in cold water. Be sure to cover the beans. 

2. Cook the beans without ham hocks. To cook, pour water off beans, add fresh water to cover. Add salt pork or bacon, let come to a boil over full flame in covered pot. Turn flame down to slightly higher than low and let cook one and one-half hours. Add diced onions, bell pepper ,garlic, dried peppers, and salt. Cook three hours. Add tomato sauce, cook one and one-half hours more, adding water whenever necessary. Beans and meat should always be just covered with water, never dry. 

3. Cook the beans with ham hocks or pork butts. Wash meat, add water to cover and let come to a boil in a covered pot over medium flame. Cook one and one-half hours. Then add beans (pour water off, add rest of ingredients to meat. Cook four and one-half hours. Add water when necessary. 

4. Prepare the rice. Wash rice thoroughly, have water and salt come to a boil. Add rice to boiling water. Cook until rice swells and water is almost evaporated. Cover and turn flame down low. Cook until rice is grainy. To insure grainy rice, always use one and one-half cups water to one cup of rice.

PEACE.

Crying Tiger (Suea Rong Hai) with Jaew Sauce

One can trace the origin of this recipe -- Crying Tiger (Suea Rong Hai) -- to its principal range, which extends from northeastern Thailand into Laos. One could find cuts of beef, usually brisket, marinating in a mixture of herbs and spices that balances sweet, spicy, sour, and savory.  Cooks then grill the marinated meat over charcoal. Once the meat is grilled, the cooks slice it thinly and serve it with a dipping sauce.

There is a lot to learn about Crying Tiger, but some of it is shrouded in mystery, like the name.  There are at least three different versions of where this recipe got its name. The first one focuses on the meat itself. It is said that cooks used cuts of beef that were so tough that they would make tigers cry when they chewed them.  The second focuses on a farmer's cow. A tiger came out of the jungle and stole the cow. The tiger then proceeded to eat most of the cow. The tiger eventually was too stuffed to eat the brisket. The tiger looked at the juicy piece of meat and began to cry because it could not finish it. Finally,  there is the story that the fat marbling on a brisket looked like tiger stripes and, when the brisket was grilled, the fat dripping off the meat looked like a tiger's tears.

Whatever the origin of the name, this dish represents some of the best qualities of Thai cuisine, especially given the balance of flavors that I mentioned above. That balance is reinforced with the jaew sauce, which is one of many nam jim (or sauces) that are served alongside Thai dishes. The jaew sauce comes from Isan, the northeastern Thai region that borders Laos. The one ingredient that sets jaew sauce apart from other nam jin is the use of toasted rice powder. The powder adds an element of toastiness to the sauce, as well as serves as a thickener. The other ingredients -- lime juice (bitter), tamarind (sweet), chile pepper (spice), and fish sauce (sour or umame) -- provide a level of balance to the entire dish.

In the end, Suea Rong Hai with Nam Jim Jaew provides a multi-dimensional balance of flavors that makes one of the best beef dishes that I have made or had recently. It gets me to thinking about what other recipes are lurking out there, waiting to be discovered.

CRYING TIGER (SUEA RONG HAI) WITH JAEW SAUCE

Recipe from Thai Caliente & The Wanderlust Kitchen

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the steak)

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 pound of beef (such as rib eye, sirloin or strip steak)
• 1 lime, juiced

Ingredients (for the Jaew Sauce):

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
• 1 teaspoon ground toasted rice
• 2 teaspoons ground Thai chile peppers
• 2 teaspoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon water, if needed

Directions:

1. Marinate the beef. Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Whisk the ingredients. Add the beef and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes to 45 minutes at room temperature. 

2. Prepare the Jaew Sauce. Combine fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind, toasted rice powder, chile peppers, sugar, cilantro green onion and, if necessary, water.  Adjust the sauce by adding water to dilute it or lime juice, sugar, or fish sauce to balance the flavors.

3. Grill the beef. Heat a grill or cast iron skillet over the stove to hot. Pat steaks dry, season with salt and pepper, and place steaks on grill or skillet. Cook for a couple minutes on each side until desired temperature (medium rare) is reached.  Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes. 

4. Finish the dish. Slice the steak and serve immediately with the Jaew sauce and condiments such as lettuce leaves, cucumber slices and rice. 

PEACE.

Qidreh

"Under international law, the responsibility for protecting civilians in conflict falls on the belligerents. Under military occupation, the responsibility for the welfare of the population falls upon the occupiers." -- Kofi Annan

In the days and weeks following the October 7, 2023 barbaric attacks by Hamas against Israelis and foreigners, Israel proceeded to impose a complete blockade and then inflict a relentless military campaign upon the Gaza strip. Israel directed its self defense not simply toward Hamas, but also at more than two million Palestinians who live in Gaza. 

Israel's response has resulted in unimaginable suffering for those innocent people, who saw food stores run out, clean water run dry, and medical supplies become scarce. Supporters of Israel's strategy blamed all of the Palestinians' suffering on Hamas (or worse, they equated innocent Palestinian people with Hamas). The terrorist organization had control over Gaza since 2006 and which, during that time, entrenched itself amongst the civilians. The innocent Palestinians became the human shield of Hamas. Yet, Israel nevertheless chose to drop bombs and shoot missiles at that shield. The Palestinian people are caught between two warring sides, with indefensible losses of life and indescribable suffering. 

As I watched the unfolding events, a profound sadness overwhelmed me for the everyday Palestinian people. Those individuals who were just trying to make a life for themselves and their families, overcoming obstacles and shouldering burdens imposed upon them because of who they are and where they lived, not for what they have done. I have explored Palestinian culture and cuisine, with its ties to the sea and its roots in the ground. Now, in this post, I take a step back, because the situation has become much more dire for the everyday Palestinian people and their future in Gaza.

While everyone focuses upon the savagery of Hamas' central tenet (that is, the eradication of the Jewish people living in Israel or Palestine), there have been many statements by officials of the Israeli government that suggest the same outcome for the Palestinian people living in Gaza. These statements include, but are not limited to: 

• October 9, 2023: Israel's Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, stated, "we are fighting human animals and we will act accordingly."
• October 10, 2023: Israeli Army spokesperson says the emphasis is on damage, not precision.
• October 28, 2023: Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu invokes the biblical passages about Amalek, in which the prophet Samuel conveys God's command to King Saul that the Hebrew people "punish the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them," adding "do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys." 
• November 13, 2023: Israel's Agricultural Minister, Avi Dichter, described the current war as "Gaza's Nakba," which is a reference to the original Nakba that resulted in the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians when the State of Israel was created in 1948 (many of whom fled to Gaza).
• November 14, 2023: Israel's Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, called for the voluntary migration of the Palestinian people out of Gaza, claiming it was the right humanitarian solution to do (it is also the first and principal step toward ethnic cleansing). 
• November 17, 2023: The Deputy Speaker of Israel's Knesset, Nissim Vaturi, stated that, "We are too humane. Burn Gaza now no less."

Statements like those set forth above suggest an objective that involves far more than simply eradicating Hamas. They are opening a door to take action against the Palestinian people who live in Gaza, forcing them to flee their homes in what could become another Nakba. (The original Nakba refers to the dislocation of Palestinians when Israel was established.) Israel's "self-defense" appears to involve little differentiation between everyday Palestinians and Hamas fighters, as evidenced by block after block of destroyed buildings, the targeting and destroying of civilian infrastructure, and the devastating boycott, denying the people of Gaza the very things they need to survive (like food, water, medical supplies, and fuel).

Two pictures: (L) Palestinians fleeing during the Nakba in 1948 and
(R) Palestinians fleeing the current conflict. 

Accountability for the above is deflected by a range of defenses. For example, the death toll of Gazans is often discounted as Hamas propaganda. More disturbingly, those who challenge Israel's "self-defense," are labelled as anti-Semitic. The calls upon Israel to international law and refrain from imposing collective punishment upon the Gazan people supposedly become anti-Semitic because it is believed that the challengers have not held other countries to such standards (regardless of whether that is true or not). Simply put, it is not anti-Semitic at this present moment in time to call upon people to be not only human, but humane. Our history should shape our future, where everyone on both sides learns from our prior failings and mistakes in order to prevent us from repeating them, time and again. One should not use the failings of the past as a defense to the failures of the present. We need to call out violations of human rights and international, calling for their cessation and remediation. 

I have been doing so in my own small way, by focusing on the Palestinians as a people. I wanted to do what I could to restore their humanity by recognizing their struggles while learning about their culture and cuisine. That cuisine can be best summarized by a headline to an article that I read: Dill, Fish and Resilience: The Holy Trinity of Gazan Cuisine.  To be honest, I don't cook with a lot of dill because it is not my favorite herb. Yet, many of the recipes that I reviewed included dill, and a lot of it. Dill can be found in salads, seafood dishes, soups and stews. As one put it, dill "is the smell of Gaza." Where the French have mirepoix and the Spanish have sofrito, the use of dill, in combination with chiles and garlic, provides a base for much of Gazan cooking. The other key element of Gazan cuisine, as it is for all Palestinian cuisine, is olive oil. The olive tree has an especially important place in Palestinian cooking. 

Yet, Palestinian cuisine also includes some more intangible ingredients. One of which is generosity. It features itself not only in the dishes, but also in the offering of food to others, especially those who are less fortunate. (Given the Palestinians' plight, that is really saying something.)

Whalid Al-Hattab serves Jarisha to his poor neighbors. Source: Arab News

The other intangible ingredient to Gazan cuisine is resilience. When one talks of food in Gaza, the discussion often gets intertwined is Israel's blockade of the territory. This blockade predated the events of October 7, 2023; and, its imposition has bordered on not just inhumane, but also irrational. At various points in time, basic food items -- such as pasta, lentil and coffee -- have been denied to the Gazan people by Israel. Indeed, even crayons were once blocked from entry into Gaza. The arbitrary denial of food and ingredients has had a negative impact upon not just the cuisine, but the every day meals for Gazans. Yet, Gazans continue to prepare dishes with what they have, and continue to share those dishes with the have-nots. 

The dish of Qidreh is not Gazan in origin, unlike Zibdiyet Gambari or Gazan Dagga. Its origins lie in the West Bank city of Hebron. Qidreh actually refers to the copper pot used to prepare the meal.  However, like most recipes, there are regional versions of Qidreh. For example, cooks in Jerusalem add chickpeas to the rice. Gazan cooks use much more garlic and a range of spices. I selected a recipe that draws not only from the traditional Hebron dish, but includes the chickpeas from Jerusalem and enough spices to make me believe that there is a nod to Gaza in the meal. The one variation on the recipe is that, rather than using a seven spice blend like Baharat, I used the Palestinian Nine Spice blend. 

I don't know what the future holds for Palestinians in Gaza (or the West Bank), but, if the past is any indication, it is not a good one. As long as far-right governments control the Israeli government, as long as extremist settlers wage violence upon Palestinian communities in the name of a greater Israel, the risk that a people, along with its culture and cuisine, may become endangered. All because of an inability or unwillingness to differentiate between those who wage terror and those who face terror.

QIDREH

Recipe from Fufu's Kitchen

Serves 5

Ingredients (for the lamb):

• 12 cuts of medium sized lamb (preferably lamb shoulder)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• Boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 cardamom pods
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick

Ingredients (for the rice):

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 20 garlic cloves, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon seven spice (or Palestinian Nine Spice)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 15 ounces chickpeas, drained

Ingredients (for the garnish):

• 1/3 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon ghee

Directions:

1. Brown the lamb. Rinse the lamb pieces thoroughly under cold water and trim excess fat if necessary. Pat the lamb dry.  In a large pot, add the olive oil on medium heat allowing for it to warm up. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb pieces and sear for 4 minutes each side to achieve a light browning. Season with half of the salt, pepper, and all spice from the ingredient list. 

2. Prepare to stew the lamb. Add enough boiling water to cover 2 inches over the lamb. Let this simmer covered for about 30 minutes. If residue rises to the top, skim it off. At this point add the rest of the seasonings and components on the ingredient list for the lamb. Allow to simmer for another 1.5 hours on low to medium heat. Once the time has passed, check the tenderness of the meat. Depending on cut and size, it may need more time but should be ready. take out the lamb pieces through a strainer on top of a bowl and reserve the lamb broth.

3. Prepare the rice. Wipe the same pot used to cook the lamb and add the olive oil with the onions. Sauté until fragrant, which is about 5 to 8 minutes and then add the garlic and saute for another 5 minutes. Season with all of the spices in the rice list and add the rice and chickpeas to this as well. Give it a nice stir so that everything is coated. Take a majority of the rice out and put on a plate to the side. Leave a layer of rice in the pot and top it with half of the lamb pieces and then add the remaining rice and top of the remaining lamb. Add enough lamb broth to cover the rice 1 inch over. Put a heat proof plate that fits on top of the pot. Store extra broth in a container to use for other purposes.

4. Cook the rice. Cook the rice covered with a lid for about 20 to 25 minutes on low to medium heat making sure not to scorch the bottom of the pot. Once the liquid is evaporated and the rice is cooked through, turn off the heat. allow for the rice to stay in the steam for another 5-10 minutes before serving on a platter of your choice.

5. Finish the dish. Top with toasted slivered almonds and/or pine nuts in ghee. Enjoy with a refreshing salad and plain yogurt. 

PEACE. 

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Republic of the Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands, also known as Jolet jen Anij to the Marshallese (which translates as "Gifts from God"), consists of five islands and twenty-nine atolls (totaling sixty-six square miles in land) in the Micronesia region of the Pacific Ocean. At first glance, the country is beautiful, with the palm trees swaying in the breeze as blue ocean waves lap the sandy shore. However, this beauty belies a dark past. It is a past that still haunts the country's citizens to this day. But even the legacy of the past pales in comparison to the threats to the country and its citizens posed by the future. 

This particular Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge is more than just a culinary one: the dishes are relatively easy to make. The real challenge is coming to grips with this country's history: past, present and future. 

The history of the Marshall Islands goes all the way back to the 2nd millennium BCE, when Micronesians first settled on the islands and the atolls. There is very little known about this history, except that the people who lived on the islands were largely self-sufficient. They grew fruits (bananas, breadfruit), taro, vegetables and other crops. There was also an abundance of coconut trees. The Marshallese also fished the oceans (the Marshallese have over fifty phrases and words in their native tongue for various fishing techniques). This self-sufficiency continued into the twentieth century, as the islands and atolls passed from Spanish control to German control and then to Japanese control. However the self-sufficiency of the Marshallese people declined significantly with the arrival of the Americans.

The Bombs at Bikini and Beyond

The United States made an ask (or, perhaps better phrased, a demand) of the Marshallese people: to use their islands and atolls to test nuclear weapons. The United States evacuated the Marshallese who lived on the Bikini Atoll. These people went from an atoll with 2.32 square miles of land and 229.4 square miles of lagoon to Rongerik, which consists of .65 square miles of land and 55.28 square miles of lagoon.  A similar fate awaited the Marshallese on Enewetak Atoll, who were moved to another atoll that was 25% of the size of their home and had only 25 square miles of lagoon, as opposed to the 390 miles of lagoon where they lived.

Credit: Bettman/Getty Images

From 1946 to 1958, the United States tested sixty-seven nuclear bombs on the atolls of the Marshall Islands.  The destructive impact was far beyond what was experienced at Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Basically, the impact can be described as dropping twelve bombs of the size that were dropped on Hiroshima each and every day for twelve years. The tests left the atolls of Bikini, Eneweak, Rongelap, and Utirik devastated and much of the remaining islands and atolls contaminated. This legacy has also affected the health of the Marshallese.

As President Truman once remarked, it was "for the good of all mankind and to end all wars." Except it was not good at all for the Marshallese. This displacement resulted in the malnourishment of the Marshallese, who were forced to live on less land with less resources. Indeed, eventually one-half of the population ended up living in the capital, Majuro. The concentration and urbanization of the Marshallese became the drivers that undermined the self-sufficiency of the indigenous people, causing them to rely more and more on imported food. 

A Paradise of Processed Food

Credit: Neil Sands, AFP/Getty Images

For those who lived in the small, densely populated urban centers, such as Majuro (as opposed to those who lived on outlying atolls), their diet consisted less of locally grown fruits or locally grown seafood. Instead, their diet began to feature imported foods such as Spam, canned corned beef, and other "variety meats" like turkey tails and pig intestines. It also included much more white rice, ramen, popsicles and sweet beverages.  Nearly 80% to 90% of all food calories consumed by the Marshallese who live in Majuro comes from less than healthy, imported food. (By contrast, those Marshallese who still live on outlying islands still consume between 50% to 75% of their food calories from locally obtained foods.) All of these statistics come from 2008; however, the situation has not improved over the years.

The importation of processed food has had its impact on the Marshallese. Diabetes has become a serious issue among the Marshallese. As of 2008, overwhelming majorities of Marshallese were overweight, and significant numbers had type 2 diabetes. The type-2 diabetes rate in the Marshall Islands is around 23%, far exceeding the rates in the United States (13%) and globally (9%).  The combination of white rice, with fatty meats, canned seafood, salty snacks and sweet beverages, are believed to be the culprits. These imported foods, which are cheaper than locally produced vegetables or caught seafood, have created this health crisis in the Marshall Islands. 

Thus, the culinary history of the Marshall Islands has been severely and negatively impacted by its political history with the United States. While a substantial amount of work has been done to improve the diet of the Marshallese, the country still suffers from high rates of type 2 diabetes. However, that political history still hangs over the islands, as the majority of the population remains in densely populated areas while many of their homes - such as those who lived on the Bikini atoll - remain off limits. 

I spent a lot of time with this challenge focusing on the theme. In the end, I decided to direct that focus not only on traditional foods, but also on the positive. The appetizer illustrates the positive work undertaken by the Marshallese to take control of their situations. The main course - and, my culinary challenge - turns to the traditional foods of the indigenous people.  

APPETIZER

Nearly ninety (90%) percent of Marshall Island's non-aid income comes from the tuna industry.  To that end, the Marshall Islands started its own tuna company in partnership with the Nature Conservancy.  The company, Pacific Island Tuna, is the first step for this country to enter into a market that is dominated by foreign fleets, mostly from China and Japan.  

The step enables the Marshallese to own the fish that are sold (which are certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council), thereby ensuring that the proceeds stay in the country. Forty percent (40%) of the net income will be invested in community based conservation efforts and climate resiliency projects. The remaining sixty percent (60%) goes to the island government.  

I begin my challenge with an appetizer in recognition of the innovation and leadership demonstrated by the Marshallese people as they try to conserve an important resource and use proceeds in positive ways, such as improving the communities, marine conservation, and fighting climate change. This was also a very delicious start to the meal. 

TUNA SASHIMI

Recipe from Delicious.com

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 500 grams (1 pound) sashimi grade tuna
• 2 avocados, flesh cut into thick slices
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce

Directions:

1. Prepare the tuna and avocado.  Using a sharp knife, cut the tuna into 0.5 cm (or 0.2 inch) slices. Place on a serving platter with the slices of avocado.

2. Prepare the dressing. Combine the extra virgin olive oil and lime juice. When ready to serve dress the avocado and tuna with lime dressing. Garnish with spring onions and season with sea salt and pepper.

3. Finish the dish. Serve with soy sauce for dipping and extra lime, if desired.

MAIN COURSE

Now, I turn to the culinary challenge itself: to make a main course from the Marshall Islands. I drew inspiration from the fishing heritage of the Marshallese people (after all, as noted above, they have fifty different words for fishing techniques in their native language). The main course is known as Marshallese Grilled Fish. 

This grilled fish dish is traditionally prepared by marinating the fish first in "so-shoe" (soy sauce) and then grilling the entire fish (including the guts) over a fire made with coconut husks. I followed the traditional marinade, but the rest of the recipe did not quite follow the tradition. As a routine, I had my fish gutted and scaled at the grocery store. I also lacked coconut husks to use in the grilling process. 

The dish was relatively easy to prepare. The hardest part was deciding on the fish to use. The fishing fleets that patrol the waters of the Marshall Islands usually land bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna, blue marlin, black marlin, albacore tuna and swordfish. None of those were readily available whole at any market near me. 

However, I decided to go with a yellowtail amberjack. Nevertheless, I felt it was appropriate because the Yellowtail Amberjack is a nod to marine conservation generally. The Monterey Bay Aquarium rates this fish either a "best choice" or a "good alternative" depending upon whether the fish is raised through aquaculture and/or where that takes place. I marinated the whole fish (minus the guts) in soy sauce and then grilled it on my gas grill (not authentic at all). My one regret is not getting a picture of the fish before I started to deconstruct it to serve as the main course for myself and my beautiful Angel.   

MARSHALLESE GRILLED FISH

Recipe from International Cuisine

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 whole fish, cleaned
• Coconut oil, for basting
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt
• 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into rings or chunks

Directions:

1. Prepare the fish. Clean the fish inside and out and pat dry. Marinate the fish in the soy sauce on both sides for about 20 minutes. Brush with some coconut oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Grill the fish. Place the fish in a fish basket for grilling so you can flip it without sticking to the grill. Place on a medium-hot grill and cook both sides for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the fish is flaky and tender. Do not overcook.

3. Grill the pineapple. As the fish is being grilled, add the pineapple to the grill. Grill for 1-2 minutes and flip. Grill for another 1 minute.

3. Finish the dish. Serve the fish whole with grilled pineapple and chukuchuk.

SIDE DISH

This side dish calls for the use of calrose rice, although I had a lot of sushi rice at hand. So, I substituted sushi rice, which worked well in terms of making the rice balls. In fact, it worked a little too well as I ended up pretty much with sticky rice. That stickiness ensured that the final product would be a coconut rice ball. These rice balls are served on special occasions and are often served alongside grilled fish. 

CHUKUCHUK

Recipe from International Cuisine

Makes 12 balls

Ingredients:

• 2 cups calrose rice
• 1 coconut, meat shredded/grated

Directions:

1. Prepare the rice. Prepare the rice in accordance with the directions on the package.

2. Continue preparing the rice. When the rice is cool enough to handle, roll the rice into balls and then roll the balls on the grated coconut. 

*    *    *

As I mentioned at the outset of this challenge, the dishes are easy to make, it is the history that is hard. The efforts of the Marshallese to take control of their resources, their food and their health face even greater challenges in the future. I cannot finish this post without addressing the biggest of these challenges: climate change. The average height above sea level in the Marshall Islands is seven feet.  As temperatures rise around the globe (and, they are rising given 2023 will be the hottest year in history) and ice melts at the poles, the sea levels will rise. 

Rising sea levels pose a threat to a country like the Marshall Islands. An average sea level rise of just 3 feet (or 1 meter) will result in nearly forty percent (40%) of the buildings in the capital, Majuro, being inundated with water. It will also result in the salinization of land used for domestic agriculture. Thus, Climate change may end up doing what atomic bombs could not do. If left unchecked, it might completely destroy the country, submerging most of it under the Pacific Ocean leaving little left that would be inhabitable. 

Credit: Karl Fellenius, AFP/Getty Images

There is one thing standing in the way: the Marshallese people. Their resilience throughout their history is noteworthy, but I fear it may not be enough. Measures to combat climate change are expensive, far beyond the means of countries with far more in resources that the Marshall Islands. 

The challenge to prepare a main course from the Marshall Islands has been less a story about paradise and more about our health and the health of our planet. It has definitely opened my eyes. 

Until next time ....

Jambalaya

While there is no dispute that jambalaya comes from Louisiana, there is a fair amount of uncertainty as to where "jambalaya" comes from. One school of thought is that the word itself originated from Provence, France. There is a Provencal word - jambalaia - that means "mixed up." Then again, the name could be a mixture itself, from the French word for ham, jambon and the African word for rice, ya. (Although, I have serious doubts about this theory, because I cannot find an African language that translates "rice" into "ya.") There is still another thought that the origin is Spanish, with the combination of jamon and paella. 

One of the most interesting theories is that the word "jambalaya" is actually derived from the Atakapa, a Native American tribe who lived along the Gulf Coast in what is present-day Texas and Louisiana. The Atakapa would say, Sham pal ha, Ya! This translates roughly into "be full, not skinny, eat up!"

Whatever the name's origin, what is beyond dispute is that jambalaya is a mélange of influences. Perhaps the most obvious influence comes from western Africa, with the use of rice and its similarity to jollof rice. There is an equally apparent influence from southern Spain, with the dish resembling paella and probably the use of tomatoes (rather than saffron).  There are French influences, mostly in the form of the spices used, which may have come from the Caribbean as well. 

Yet, there is still some mystery surrounding even the culinary influences, as the written record of recipes for jambalaya date only back to the late 19th century, even though the dish itself goes back much further in time. As for this particular recipe, it is a rather straightforward version of the dish. The absence of tomatoes pushes this dish more into the Cajun column than the Creole one (as the latter is known for its use of tomatoes in the preparation). I have also used turkey based products, such as smoked turkey sausage and turkey thighs, because that is the only meat that my beautiful Angel eats. You can use the more traditional ingredients, such as Andouille and chicken thighs in its place.

JAMBALAYA

Recipe adapted from Kitchn

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the seasoning):

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon white ground pepper
• 12 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Ingredients (for the jambalaya):

• 2 medium scallions, sliced thinly
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (about 12-ounce) package smoked turkey sausage
• 1 pound turkey thighs, skinned, trimmed, and de-boned
• 1 pound of shrimp
• 8 ounces lump crab meat, picked
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
• 2 cups medium or long grain rice
• 2 1/2 cups turkey broth 

Directions:

1. Make the seasoning. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, white ground pepper and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Stir well to combine. 

2. Prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice the 2 scallions and set aside for garnish. Dice 1 small yellow onion, 3 medium celery stalks, and the green bell pepper (about 1 cup of each). Mince the three garlic cloves.

3. Prepare the meats. Cut the sauce into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Cut the turkey thighs into bite-size pieces. Season the turkey with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning. Carefully rinse the crab meat in a colander and pick out any shells. Season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning. 

4. Brown the sausage. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the sausage in a single layer and cook until browned on the cut sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter using tongs and repeat until all the sausage has been browned.

5. Brown the turkey. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil to the drippings in the pot. Add the turkey and cook until brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Using tongs, transfer the turkey to the plate with the sausage. 

6. Sauté the vegetables. Add the onion and garlic mixture, remaining seasoning and remaining salt. Cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot and stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper, continue to scrape up the browned bits and continue to stir occasionally, about 2 more minutes. 

7. Add rice. Add the 2 cups of rice and cook, stirring frequently until the rice is opaque and toasty smelling, about 3 minutes. 

8. Add liquid and meats. Pour in the turkey broth and bring to a boil. Add the turkey and sausage and any accumulated juices to the pot and give everything one good stir to mix together. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer undisturbed until the rice is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

9.  Sauté the shrimp. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a small sauté pan. Add the shrimp and sauté until opaque, 2-3 minutes per side. 

9. Stir and let sit. After the rice is cooked through, add the shrimp to the top. Give the mixture a gentle stir on top. Cover again and remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. If the rice is still too wet, take the lid off so the extra liquid evaporates. If the rice is a little dry, keep the lid on a little longer to give the rice more time to absorb the liquid.

ENJOY!