Gourmet Survivor II, Final Round: Jason's Jambalaya
This is it. The final round of Gourmet Survivor II, Adam's Katrina/Rita fundraiser and online competition. In round one, Jason made Po'boys the centerpiece of a gourmet meal. For round 2 he made not one, not two, but three different beignets, plating them with the flair one normally only sees in nice restaurants.
And today, he's made jambalaya, once again offering up a tasty treat for you to admire.
In the past, I've asked for your help to move Jason to the next round. Now we want him to win, to rocket to international glory as the second-ever Gourmet Survivor. Compare his entries in each round to his competitor's, and there's no doubt who deserves the title. He's baked, roasted, decorated, shopped, and chopped solely to help raise money for those in need. He's driven to out-of-the-way stores, bought unusual ingredients, and given up several weekend days, just to get you to vote.
I know many of you have voted already, or given to other disaster relief funds. But even a tiny contribution to Adam's relief efforts will help victims struggling to rebuild their lives, away from all that they knew before. Of course, bigger amounts are even better.
Here's how to help Katrina/Rita victims and support Jason's efforts. Go to Adam's donation page. Enter your information. Most importantly, be sure to put Jason's name in the comments. Every vote costs $5: A $20 donation gives Jason four votes (but ONLY if you put his name in the comments).
And now I'll let Jason describe his jambalaya. Remember, he's done all this work out of his own desire to help those in need. Please don't let him down. Vote to show him how much you appreciate all that he's done. Just remember to put his name in the comments.
Thanks.
Jason's Jambalya
Gourmet Survivor Jambalaya
Here we are at the last round of the Gourmet Survivor competition. I would like to thank everyone for his or her support so far in contributing to the Red Cross disaster relief fund. Let's aim for this final round to be our most beneficial yet. Also, I would like to thank Kathy, Melissa and William for playing along; I believe we have all had a great time. The greatest amount of thanks really must go to Adam and Derrick though. Adam for hosting this wonderful competition, and Derrick for all the coaching and the hosting of my entries.
Jambalaya, ready to eat.
Anyhow, on to the food. For this last course any New Orleans item could be cooked up. I paid close attention to the voting on the Amateur Gourmet site where gumbo and jambalaya were neck and neck, right behind an item of ones own choosing. To try and stay with the likes of the people jambalaya was chosen. This spicy dish of rice, chicken, sausage, and shrimp is well-suited for a cool autumn evening.
Jambalaya Cooking
The day started out so well with a trip to the market to get fresh vegetables from the stands. Then I took a detour before heading over to the butcher. With the cool air setting in apples are in full swing here in Michigan. I headed over to the apple orchard so we could enjoy the fruit of the season. By far the best apple for an apple pie is a Northern Spy. Not often locatable they are a special treat. I spent a bit over an hour at the orchard picking my own apples and then browsing around and buying two gallons of fresh pressed apple cider. After leaving the orchard it's back on track, heading to the butcher, to pick up the andouille sausage, chicken quarters and shrimp.
Mmmmm....Shrimp
It is such a shame that I could not invite every one of you over for this New Orleans treat. As the jambalaya came together the house was graced with the spicy smell of sausage and seafood. The wonderful colors mingled so well that the anticipation for dinner was high. There were quite a few steps in this dish, but the final product was certain to be perfection.
Dinner is Served
Once on the table it was time to give it a try. I must say that more than anyone my father was in pure heaven. I personally did not think anyone would place any of these dishes above the original Po?boy challenge, but dad did. He commented on the wonderful spicy flavors and how they blended so well with the rice and meat mixture. A perfect blend of flavors that complemented each other so well.
Don't Forget Dessert
Some may say that this is a dish to be savored and enjoyed on its own, but I personally feel that the addition of the homemade walnut onion bread and fresh baked apple pie put it over the top. The colors of a fall day, the flavors of New Orleans and family for dinner; what more could be asked for?
For an in-depth look at the jambalaya, visit the Jamabalaya Photo Set
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