Progressive

Last weekend was our neighborhood's 21st annual progressive dinner.  21 years!  Progressive dinners are such a great idea.  If you're not familiar with the concept, here's how it works.  An invitation goes out to the group,  and if people rsvp yes, they must also choose their role:  cooking (either a main dish, salad/bread, an appetizer or a dessert) or hosting (in which case you offer your house and serve the wine for your dinner.)  Two brave families each year are convinced volunteer  to host either the cocktails or the dessert portion of the night.  The organizers then meet to parcel out the roles.   Three women in the 'hood, Sarah, Jane and Bridget, have run this thing for 20 years and it is a well oiled machine.  They have a master spreadsheet which shows who has done what role over the many years, which is factored into the assignments.  If you made a main dish last year, this year you'll probably get appetizers, etc.   After this pow-wow they drop off a sheet giving you your assignment and instructions for the evening (below).  It's a giant puzzle which they've elegantly coordinated for twenty years. 

On the appointed night, we all convene at the cocktails house, where there are a million appetizers and an open bar.  We all grab our name tag, which includes a picture of your house!  After 90 minutes, we all leave and report to our designated dinner locale.  After two hours, we all then re-convene as a group at the final stop, where there are a million desserts, coffee, and the bar, which  the bartender has packed up and moved from the first venue to the last.

It's a blast. There are many generations represented and year after year, in the dog days of February, 60 or so people show up.    The price tag for the whole shebang is $25 - which basically covers the bar.    It's a lovely tradition and we feel so lucky to be a part of it!




This year I offered to cook and was assigned a main dish.  I made Ina's Jambalaya. (from Foolproof)

Heat 2 TBSP oil in a dutch oven and sautee 1-1/2 lb kielbasa or andouille sausage over medium heat until browned.  Remove and place in a large bowl.

Add 7-8 chicken thighs to same pot and cook about five minutes per side, until browned.

Remove chicken and place in bowl with sausage.

Add 2 Tbsp butter

1 large chopped onion

2 cups diced celery

and 2 red peppers, cored and diced, to pot.

Sautee about 10 minutes, until onions are translucent.

Add

 28 oz can tomatoes, drained and diced

3 cloves minced garlic, 

 1 diced jalapeno

2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme

 1 1/2 tsp of salt and 

2 TBSP tomato paste 

and cook another 2 minutes.  

Add 1 cup white wine and scrape off the brown bits at bottom of pan.

Add 5 cups chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil. 

Stir in 3 cups extra long grain rice and add the sausage, chicken,  and 3 bay leaves.  

Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. 

Add 1 pound medium shrimp and cover for another 5 minutes. 

Add ¼ cup of the scallions, ¼ cup of the parsley, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice  and stir well. 

Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 10- 15 minutes, before serving.Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup scallions and ½ cup parsley, and a dash of Tabasco.

It's even better leftover.  

Barefoot Contessa's Jambalaya

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or Andouille, sliced(we used turkey kielbasa)
• 7-8 chicken thighs (we used boneless skinless)
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cups celery, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
• 1 28 oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained & medium diced (I forgot to drain them)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional for us)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups chicken stock,
• 3 cups extra long grain rice
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 dashes Tabasco (optional)
• ½ cup chopped scallions green and white parts
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20-24 count)

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the kielbasa and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the chicken thighs to the same pot and cook 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside.
2. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, 1 1/2 tsp of salt and tomato paste and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the white wine and scrape off the brown bits at bottom of pan. ( you can stop here and continue 40 minutes b/f serving. 
3. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, chicken, bay leaves.  Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp and cover for another 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the scallions, ¼ cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 10- 15 minutes, before serving.Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup scallions and ½ cup parsley, and a dash of Tabasco, if desired.