Elswet's Jambalaya Rice

Submitted by Pagan

"This is like a little taste of New Orleans. Growing up very near there, my Wife and her mother would make frequent trips into nearby New Orleans. This is one of the many dishes made at home by my mother in law, while my Wife was young. It's a favorite in our house. Maybe it will be a favorite in yours."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 cup celery, stalk and leaves, minced
• 1⁄2 cup bell pepper, red and green, minced
• 2 whole onions, 1 white, 1 purple, finely chopped
• 2 cups rice, uncooked measurement, cooked, rinsed, and drained
• 8 ounces tomato sauce or 4 fresh tomatoes, diced precooked and set aside
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sage, rubbed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon vinegar, balsamic
• 4 ounces cheese, diced, use your favorite type and brand of colorful cheese, Velveta Cheddar etc
• 2⁄3 cup milk
• 1 lb smoked sausage, cut into disks, and then quartered
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sassafras leaves, ground ... otherwise known as gumbo file'

directions

1. JAMBALAYA RICE -- In a fairly large pot, cook your sausage over medium heat. When done, remove to draining plate, and set aside.
2. Into the sausage oil, toss the garlic, onions, peppers, and celery and saute until opaque [about half translucent, or half done].
3. Add in the cooked rice, tomato sauce, salt, peppers, other spices, balsamic vinegar and stir until fully blended, add the sausage and stir again. Continue to cook over a low heat while you prepare the cheese sauce.
4. CHEESY ROUX -- Over a low-medium heat, melt diced cheese with the milk and the gumbo file', stirring slowly and continually, until cheese and milk are creamy.
5. Pour over Jambalaya and stir until blended. Serve hot. Goes great with cheesy biscuits. It also serves well as a side dish with any seafood, or as a main dish using seafood [shrimp, clam, oysters, fish, etc] or small cut bite size chicken in place of the sausage!