Big G’s Jambalaya Balls

Some families pass down heirlooms — my family passes down recipes. I come from a long line of Sicilian Louisianans, a people who know a thing or two about bold flavors and good food. My great-great-great-grandfather fled Italy in the late 1870s, coming through the Port of New Orleans, where he laid the foundation for generations of Gambinos who would dedicate their lives to the art of food.

My grandfather Ralph owned a wildly successful restaurant. My father and his siblings naturally followed suit, stepping into the world of food service and restaurant ownership. But my dad, Gaetano, wasn’t just a chef — he was a Navy bomb specialist who brought the same precision and passion to his cooking as he did to his service.

This recipe comes from years spent cooking with my father — it was a dish he served as an appetizer at his dream restaurant, Gambino’s Louisiana Restaurant. Traditionally, he paired it with a classic Louisiana remoulade but for this version, I’ve put my own spin on it with a jalapeño and green onion aioli.

Most of our family recipes were never written down — they lived in our hands, our hearts and our taste buds. Every generation, every cook, puts their own touch on them, evolving the flavors while keeping the soul of the dish alive. This is my version. It is an absolute honor to share this recipe with you and to honor my late, great father, Gaetano and our New Orleans heritage.

Because everything’s better with music, I made a Jambalaya Balls Playlist on Spotify. Hit play and get cooking! (To scan the code with your phone: Open Spotify, hit your search button and tap the camera icon at top right.)

Now let’s make some damn good jambalaya balls.

Big G’s Jambalaya Balls

Prep all your ingredients first. When mincing your holy trinity (bell peppers, onion, celery), roughly chop and then give them a quick blitz in a food processor until they’re cut fine, but not mushy. You can substitute your favorite hot sauce for the Crystal in this recipe, and feel free to use the soft cheese of your choice instead of the Velveeta. For the Cajun seasoning, I recommend Tony Chachere’s or Slap Ya Mama. Makes 25-30 balls.

Ingredients

For the jambalaya balls:

2 large boneless chicken breasts, finely chopped

1 pound Andouille sausage, finely chopped

½ pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and minced

1 cup celery, minced

1 cup green bell peppers, minced

1 cup onion, minced

1 jalapeño, minced

6-7 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups long-grain rice

3 cups chicken broth

1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained and minced

1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

3 eggs, beaten

Velveeta Fresh Packs

Canola oil for frying

Olive oil as needed

For the aioli:

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ large, fresh jalapeño

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

6 cloves garlic

4 chopped green onions

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Place the chicken in a mixing bowl, coat with a splash of olive oil and 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Mix well, and pop it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.

Now cook the jambalaya base. Heat a cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss in the chicken and cook until golden brown (about 5 minutes, or the length of Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right, But It’s OK.”) Remove and set aside.

Add the trinity (peppers, onion, celery) to the pot. Stir occasionally and let them sweat for about 4 minutes (or the length of Ginuwine’s “Pony”), careful not to let them brown.

Stir in the minced garlic and let everything get cozy together.

Let’s build the flavor. Toss the chopped andouille sausage into the pot along with the chicken. Stir it up. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes (or the length of Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning with the chopped shrimp and set it aside. Check your rice! If anything is sticking, turn your heat down a bit. Stir in the shrimp until it’s well-distributed.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, fire-roasted tomatoes, ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning and hot sauce to the Dutch oven. Stir well, cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes more.

While the jambalaya simmers, blitz all the aioli ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Boom, done.

Once the jambalaya is done, it should be thick, creamy and somewhere between the texture of risotto and fried rice — not soupy. Transfer it to a large container and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. (This makes ball-forming easier.)

Heat 1 inch of canola oil in a cast-iron pan to 300°F — hot, but not crazy hot. While the oil heats, set out a bowl of breadcrumbs and a separate bowl of the beaten eggs. Scoop a golf ball-sized portion of jambalaya, poke a hole in the center and stuff with a cube of cheese. Roll into a ball between your palms. Dip the ball in egg, then roll it in breadcrumbs and set aside on a tray. Repeat, forming 25-30 balls.

Fry in batches of 5 balls at a time, turning until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side (totaling the length of Fats Domino’s “Walking to New Orleans”). Transfer browned balls to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Serve hot with that spicy aioli dipping sauce. Enjoy, and don’t forget to share — if you’re feeling generous.

Olivia Gambino (she/her) is a burlesque performer, a Rutabaga Queen and a spicy jambalaya ball.

This article appears in ‘Breathing Room’.