Last month, Muchmore’s Gastropub and Wine Bar (2 Havemeyer St.), previously known as Muchmore’s, reopened in Williamsburg with an expanded menu.
Husband and wife team, Andrew and Diana Muchmore, said that the menu item they are most proud of is the Firehouse Jambalaya. It’s entirely made from scratch using the ‘holy trinity’ of Creole cooking consisting of bell peppers, onions, and celery.
“The dish is special to us. We wanted to get it as close as possible to Andrew’s father’s recipe,” Diana said, explaining that her father-in-law was a fireman who cooked the dish at his firehouse, hence the name.
Now, the neighborhood can try to replicate this time-tested recipe. Learn how to make Muchmore’s Firehouse Jambalaya below and find last week’s Community Cookbook recipe here.
Muchmore’s Firehouse Jambalaya
Serves 6-7
Ingredients
1 pound of Andouille sausage
1 pound of organic chicken
3 cups of uncooked white rice
20 ounces of tomatoes, canned or fresh
2 teaspoons of tomato paste
6 cups of water
Holy Trinity:
2 cups of onion yellow, diced
2 cups of celery, diced
2 cups of bell peppers, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of thyme, fresh or dried
1 tablespoon of oregano, fresh or dried
1 table spoon of cayenne pepper (can use more if more heat is desired)
1/2 cup of parsley fresh
4 tablespoons of olive oil
9 bay leaves (7 are for garnish)
Directions
- Sauté or bake chicken until cooked through.
- Set aside to let cool; then pull apart when semi-cool.
- Heat oil in a large skillet.
- Sauté sausage over medium heat stirring frequently for 6-8 minutes until browned.
- Place sausage to the side and do not wash the skillet.
- In the same skillet with the oil from the sausage, add Holy Trinity ingredients, plus garlic, thyme, oregano, cayenne, and 2 bay leaves.
- Cook until vegetables are slightly tender.
- Stir in water, rice, tomatoes, tomato paste, pulled chicken and sausage, bring to boil over high heat.
- Cover and reduce heat to medium.
- Simmer and stir every 6-8 minutes
- Cook for a total of 30-35 minutes or until rice is ready. (Add additional water if needed.)
- When fully cooked, scoop into bowl and garnish with fresh parsley and place 1 bay leaf in center pointing north.