Last year, I posted a recipe for Jambalaya which I got from our friends Ron and Colleen from New Orleans.  Ron usually makes 2 big pots of this dish at their house parties in Lake Tahoe and I have been known to stand by the stove the rest of the evening, feasting on this wonderful dish direct from the pot.   I wanted to make the same dish for our Mardi Gras celebration yesterday but I ran out of shrimp (imagine that!). So I did the next best thing….a mock jambalaya which includes hot links sausages, kielbasa and rice seasoned with cajun seasoning.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups chicken broth or water
• 1/2 cup sliced kielbasa
• 2 pieces Louisiana hot links sausages, sliced into bite size pieces
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed
• 1 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tbs olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pan. Saute garlic, onion and celery for 5 minutes. Add sausages and tomatoes cook for  3 minutes.
2. Add rice, cajun seasoning and crushed red pepper and cook for2 minutes.  Pour chicken broth (or water) and add tomate paste. Stir and cook on low, covered,  until liquid is all absorbed and rice is cooked.
3. Serve warm.

Notes: Alternatively, you can cook this dish in the oven.  Mix all ingredients in a baking dish big enough to hold 2 cups of cooked rice.  Cover with foil and bake in preheated 400F oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until liquid is all absorved and rice is fluffy.   Let rest for 10 minutes, fluff and at this point you can add green peas or seafood if you want.

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