Jambalaya Pasta WITH PAPPARDELLE AND WALNUT & SMOKED CHEDDAR CORNBREAD

Andouille is the classic sausage used in jambalaya, but if it is not available any smoked sausage will do. Just ask at your deli counter for something dry and smoked. You are not looking for a raw sausage.

2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil

2 cups (500 mL) diced onion

1 cup (250 mL) diced celery

3 cups (750 mL) diced green peppers

2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped garlic

1½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes

½ lb (225 g) smoked sausage, sliced

¼ inch (5 mm) thick

3 tsp (15 mL) paprika (not smoked)

½ tsp (2 mL) cayenne pepper

2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste

2 cans (each 398 mL) diced tomatoes with juices 1 cup (250 mL) water

2 tsp (10 mL) dried oregano

Salt

1 lb (455 g) dried pappardelle pasta

1 lb (455 g) large shrimp, raw and peeled ¼ cup (60 mL) fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions and celery for 5 minutes, add green pepper and garlic and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2 Add chicken and sausage to the pan and cook over medium-high until chicken is brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes.

3 Reduce heat to medium, push ingredients to one side of skillet and add paprika, cayenne pepper and tomato paste to the cleared area. Cook for 1 minute then add diced tomatoes, 1 cup (250 mL) water and oregano; stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

4 Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil, add pasta and cook as per package instructions.

5 Just before serving, add the shrimp to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the shrimp are cooked, about 4 minutes. If needed, reduce sauce slightly to thicken, or if too thick add some water to loosen the sauce. Season if necessary.

6 Place pasta on a platter and top with sauce, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

APRICOT & RIESLING JELLIES

These delicious jellies play up the flavours of the wine used to make them. Choose a sweet wine: a late harvest Riesling is perfect, but any one labelled medium-sweet or sweet will do the trick. If it’s humid when you make them, blot the surface of the candy before rolling in sugar, as condensation will liquefy the sugar coating. 1 cup (250 mL) firmly packed chopped dried apricots

1 cup (250 mL) medium-sweet or sweet Riesling 1½ cups (375 mL) apricot juice

2 cups (500 mL) sugar, divided

28 g (4 envelopes) gelatin

2/3 cup (150 mL) cool water

In a medium pot, combine apricots and wine. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce wine by half. Pour apricot juice over; stir in 1½ cups (375 mL) sugar and return to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook 30 minutes uncovered.

2 Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over cool water in a medium bowl and let stand for at least 3 minutes. Pour hot apricot mixture through a fine mesh sieve into bowl containing gelatin. Using a spatula, press apricot pulp through sieve. Discard skins. Whisk gelatin mixture to combine. Grease an 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) pan with neutral-flavoured oil; pour gelatin mixture into pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours; return to room temperature before proceeding.

3 Spread remaining ½ cup (125 mL) sugar in an even layer on a cutting board. Dip bottom of pan in hot water briefly to loosen jelly, and remove in one piece to the sugar-covered board. Cut jelly into bite-sized rectangles (or alternatively, use a small cookie cutter to cut into bitesized pieces in desired shape); roll in sugar to coat. Store uncovered at room temperature and consume within 3 days.

Makes about 8 dozen jellies

CHERRY & ZINFANDEL JELLIES

Replace the dried apricots with finely chopped dried cherries, and the Riesling with Zinfandel. Swap the apricot juice with cherry juice. Add 3 whole allspice berries to pot. Proceed in the same manner as the Apricot & Riesling Jellies, pressing as much of the cherry pulp as possible through the sieve and discarding the solids.

Makes about 8 dozen jellies

PINEAPPLE & CHARDONNAY JELLIES Replace the dried apricots with dried pineapple chunks, and the Riesling with oak-aged Chardonnay. Replace the apricot juice with pineapple juice. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice to pot. Simmer as you would the Apricot & Riesling Jellies, but purée hot mixture in a food processor before sieving over gelatin mixture.

Makes about 8 dozen jellies