You will see my choices of meats here, but feel free to mix and match; just look for the approximate weight. Always use medium- or long-grain rice, and, if you are using store-bought Cajun or Creole seasonings, you won't need salt -- they are very salty to begin with.
2poundsbone-in chicken or pheasant thighs(either skinless or skin-on is fine)
2onions, chopped
3celery stalks, chopped
1green pepper, chopped
5clovesgarlic, minced
1tablespoontomato paste(optional)
2teaspoonsdried oregano
2tablespoonsCajun seasoning
2quartschicken or other light stock
1/2poundandouille sausage
2 1/2cupsmedium- or long-grained rice
1/4cupchopped scallions or chives
1/4cupchopped parsley
Instructions
In a large Dutch oven or similar pot, fry the bacon over medium heat. When it's crispy, remove and chop. Set aside. Brown the duck and thighs well. Add the onion, celery and green pepper and brown that, too. Let this cook a minute or three, then add the garlic. In some cases, your pot may be too crowded, so if that happens, fish out the thighs for the moment.
As the vegetables are cooking, use the liquid they release to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Let everything cook until you get bits starting to stick again. Add a splash of stock and the tomato paste, along with the oregano and Cajun seasoning. Stir well and let this cook until it starts to stick one more time.
Stir in the rice and andouille and let this cook for a minute or two. Add in the rest of the stock, stir well, scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot, drop the heat to low and let this cook until the rice is done, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the chives and parsley before serving.
Notes
The use of any tomato in many Cajun recipes is hotly debated; it's one of the things that differentiates Cajun versus Creole cooking. I got the idea of adding a tiny bit of tomato paste in my jambalaya from a friend in Houma, which is in Cajun country, so I went with it here. You can skip the tomato paste if you want.