Performance Anxiety

Like everybody else we have dishes we like and repeat now and again. Since starting our blog it has become a challenge to think up something new each day. If you think our posts have become less frequent then that is indeed the case, but please bear with us as we strain for something new and interesting to write about on days when we are not into big experiments.

Indeed the pressure of it hit T the other day. He went out shopping alone and was overcome with performance anxiety. Indeed he longed for the old days when he could decide for something he felt like. On this occasion he needed to consider if it was novel to the blog, if both he, K and also the kids would like it... and of course, what to drink with it. I hope you appreciate how challenging all this blogging has become.
Well, enough of excuses. T found some mussels and some langostini and then decided on Jambalaya. Actually, T's knowledge of this dish is solely second-hand, as he had this at an old acquaintance, so you may disagree with the recipe (even though this is also originally a left-over dish, and as such difficult to define what the original version is).

Home again and both K and all kids picked up, we bring forth our brand new christmas present – a Le Creuset Cast Iron casserole. Vegetables are fried: (red and yellow capsicum), onions, garlic a de-seeded chilli. After this we put in a sliced chorizo sausage – a Danish version from Aalbæk slagteren with Jalapeño. This is fried together with cubes of chicken (breast). When fried, two tins of peeled tomatoes and ½l of chicken stock are added. When it has reached a boiling level 300 grams of Aborio risotto rice are added and the we let it simmer for 20 minutes. Remember to stir as the rice will otherwise burn or just stick together – neither of which is very pleasant. After the 20 minutes we put some langostini and 3 handful of mussels in there and put a lid on so they will not only cook, but also let the steam work. Also a couple of handfuls of mini corn are tossed into the mix.

And that's it!

This was not a dish where we could easily tell what to drink with it. We consulted various experts. The choice ended up to between Riesling and Zinfandel! In the end we decided to go with Hugh Johnson and the Stawa 2005 Old Vines Zinfandel and we didn't regret it.