Ingredients

• Ingredients
  1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  2. 1 cup minced onion
  3. 1 cup minced green bell pepper
  4. 1 cup minced celery
  5. 4 bay leaves
  6. 3 whole cloves
  7. 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  8. 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
  9. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  10. 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  11. 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  12. 1 teaspoon filé powder (see Note)
  13. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  14. 1/2 pound sea scallops, halved
  15. 1/2 pound skinless, boneless smoked white fish fillets, cut into 2-inch chunks
  16. 2 cups long-grain rice
  17. 2 cups bottled clam juice
  18. 2 cups water
  19. 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the bay leaves, cloves, garlic, thyme, salt, cayenne, pepper, filé and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallops, smoked fish and rice. Add the clam juice, water and Worcestershire sauce, cover and bring to a simmer.
2. Bake the jambalaya for 25 minutes, or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Let the jambalaya stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Pick out the bay leaves and cloves before serving, if desired.

Notes

Filé powder is made from ground dried sassafras leaves. It acts as a thickener for stews and is an integral ingredient in Creole cooking.