I think Newman would have been very happy with the jambalaya I made for Master on Wednesday night. The rice was plump, tasty and just tender to the tooth from soaking up a tomato-and-stock broth redolent of bay and thyme. The Cajun "Trinity" of bell pepper, onion and celery was well accounted for, of course, along with carrots, zucchini, and okra. It would have made a fine vegetarian dish, and I probably would have kept it that way had I been dining alone. But Master gets the royal treatment. So I larded the luxuriant stew further with tender bites of chicken breast and sweet chicken-and-apple sausage, pan-browned to a mouthwatering caramelization for that final special flourish. Master's worth it.
Once the prep - lots and lots of dicing - was done, the jambalaya came together effortlessly. I find that I'm becoming much more efficient and organized in the kitchen. There was plenty of room for improvement, believe me. Even a few weeks ago, I'm not sure I would have recognized the person at work last night. I was a well-tuned machine, dancing between the cutting board and the pantry - stirring, tasting, making fine adjustments to the burners, keeping a watchful eye on all pots, and even getting the dishes done in real time. I notice that this confidence is showing in the food I bring to Master's table, which is at a level of refinement far beyond anything I'd ever made for myself. After serving up a jambalaya this good, I feel comfortable stating (with an uncharacteristic yet warranted touch of immodesty) that Master is lucky to have me. Just as I am lucky to have him, for so many reasons. I hope he knows how much I enjoy every opportunity to cook for him. Sharing my passion for food with someone who appreciates it (and me) has completely changed my life for the better.
Finally, I've even found a compromise for the heat that I've felt has sometimes been missing from our meals. Kochukaru - Korean red chili flake - saves the day! With a sweeter, much milder kick than cayenne pepper, a little of this wonderful stuff makes all the difference. I hesitated to tell Master about this addition, but he took well to it, confirming that the dreaded afterburn was negligible. I'm overjoyed. Maybe now I'll even be able to make dak galbi - one of my specialties - for Master. Though I'm still unsure what to substitute for the essential chili paste, kochujang, which may be a shade too potent for his palate. It's no exaggeration to say that this dilemma has kept me awake on more than one night. Any suggestions?
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