Creole-style Jambalaya

Description

This is a pretty good recipe and using eggplant in this dish is a good idea. This dish has lots of room for you to improvise and create your own jambalaya. This recipe is Creole-style, with a tomato base, but you may omit the tomato paste and tomatoes if you want country-style jambalaya. Serve with a salad and ice cold beer.

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cups yellow onions, small dice
• 1 cup red onions, small dice
• 1 cup bell peppers, small dice
• 1 cup celery, small dice
• 2 cups eggplants, diced
• 1 cup yellow squash, diced
• 1 cup zucchini, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, to taste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cups long-grain rice
• 1 cup tomato paste
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup chopped green onions

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, shallots, bell peppers and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggplant, squash, and zucchini, and saute until they're tender, about other 5 minutes or so.
4. Add the tomatoes.
5. Season with salt, creole seasoning, and additional cayenne, if desired.
6. Add the bay leaves.
7. Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Heat the tomato paste in a non-stick pan and stir, making sure it doesn't stick or burn, until the sugars in the paste begin to caramelize, and the paste begins to turn a deep mahogany color.
9. De-glaze with some of the vegetable stock, stir and combine thoroughly.
10. Add the tomato paste to the rest of the vegetable stock and stir until well-blended.
11. Add the vegetable stock/tomato mixture to vegetables, stir and cover.
12. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
13. Do not stir the jambalaya while it's cooking.
14. Remove from heat and let stand for 2–3 minutes.
15. Add the green onions and mix thoroughly.
16. Garnish with some fresh long chives, and serve with a salad and good beer.