Name: Creole Jambalaya
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb. smoked ham (cubed); 1/2 lb. chaurice* (hot sausage cut in pieces); 1/2 lb. smoked sausage (cut in 1/2-inch slices); 1 cup chopped onions; 3 cups uncooked rice; 1/4 cup chopped green onions; 1/2 tsp. paprika; 1 tbsp. chopped parsley; 1 tsp. ground thyme; 1 tsp. chopped garlic; 1/2 cup chopped green pepper; 1 tsp. salt; 1 bay leaf; 1 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined); 4 cups boiling water

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from The Dooky Chase Cookbook by Leah Chase and are part of our story on Mardi Gras.

*Editor's note:

Chaurice is a freshly made (not precooked) hot sausage common in southern Louisiana. Any uncooked hot sausage can be substituted.

Recipe notes

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Wampanoaug Clam Fritters

The clams’ natural briny sweetness serves as a surprising foil for the tender fritter batter—just be sure to pull off the tough outer coating of the siphon.

Oven-Fried Shrimp

Kewpie Mayonnaise is the ultimate secret ingredient to creating a perfect oven-baked battered-and-fried crunch without a deep fryer.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Chicken Croquettes

Rather than breaded and fried as you might expect croquettes to be, these are something more akin to a seared chicken salad patty.

Rotisserie Chicken Congee

Leftover rotisserie chicken finds new purpose in this endlessly comforting dish.

Spice-Grilled Pork Chops

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.