Southern-Style Sausage Jambalaya

Adapted from Ainsley Harriot’s recipe in his book “Ainsley’s Friends and Family Cookbook”.

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 100g (4oz) chorizo sausage, thickly sliced
• 225g (8oz) smoked pork sausage, thickly sliced
• 225g (8oz) chicken thighs, thickly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into chunky strips
• 1 green pepper, seeded and cut into chunky strips
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon smoky paprika
• 225g (8oz) long-grain rice
• leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 400ml (14 fl oz) passata
• 300ml (10 fl oz) chicken stock
• leaves from 20g (3/4oz) packet parsley, chopped
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• salt and cayenne pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Fry the chicken slices until browned. Lift out and set aside.
2. Fry the chorizo and smoked pork sausage slices on both sides until golden. Lift out and set aside.
3. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper, green pepper, and celery then fry for 5 minutes until they are all lightly browned.
4. Add the chilli powder and paprika then cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the browned chicken, sausages, rice, thyme, bay leaves, passata, chicken stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and some cayenne pepper.
6. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Uncover and fork the chopped parsley into the rice. Scatter over the spring onions and serve.