Sausage Jambalaya

Who doesn't love a good pot of comfort food? I'm a sucker for kielbasa sausage and anything starchy, so this jambalaya recipe is perfect! It's adapted from yet another Barefoot Contessa recipe, but I took out the shrimp she uses and altered the amounts of some of the ingredients based upon my own taste preferences and trial-and-error.


Ingredients
Olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 lb. kielbasa sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
3 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (can also use 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper)
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. dried thyme
2 tbsp. dried oregano
8 cups chicken stock
3 cups brown long grain rice, rinsed
3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Tabasco (optional)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (one lemon)
1/2 cup scallions, diced and divided into two 1/4 cup measurements
3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided into a 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup measurements


Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Slice the sausage by cutting the link in half lengthwise and then in half lengthwise again, then slicing into bite-size pieces.
3. Add the sausage to the olive oil and saute for 8 to 10 minutes or until brown and crispy.

4. While the sausage is cooking, dice the onion, celery and bell peppers.
5. Remove the sausage to a bowl and set aside.

6. Add the butter, onion, celery and bell peppers to the pot. Salt the vegetables (to bring out their flavors), and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until the onion is translucent. Be sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot so you don't waste all that good flavor!

7. While the vegetables are sweating, dice the tomato and jalapeno pepper (if using) and mince the garlic cloves.
8. Add the tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno pepper (or cayenne pepper), dried thyme and oregano and tomato paste to the pot. Cook until all the vegetables and herbs are well blended, about 5 minutes.

9. Add the chicken stock and bring to a rolling bowl.

10. While the pot is heating to a boil, rinse the rice in a colander and let any excess water drain out. This removes any loose surface starch, and it will leave the rice less sticky once cooked.
11. Stir in the rice, and return the sausage to the pot. Also add the bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
12. Return to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for one hour.
*Note: lift the lid and stir occasionally so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot).
13. Add 1/4 cup of scallions, 1/4 cup parsley and the lemon juice. Stir well.
14. Cover the pot, remove from heat and allow the jambalaya to steam for 15 minutes before serving.
15. Garnish with the remaining scallions and parsley, and add a dash of Tabasco if desired.


*Note: Jambalaya is great leftover and reheated the next day, so don't be too intimidated by the large pot of food!