Vegetarian Bayou Jambalaya Recipe

Adapted from Rice and Spice by Robin Robertson (Harvard Common Press, 2000).

You won’t miss the meat or seafood in this glorious vegetarian version of the Creole classic. New Orleans fire and flavor along with colorful anti-oxidant nutrition and satisfying ease of preparation. Pure bayou bliss!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 16-ounce cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon file powder (look in your local gourmet food store)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans, rinsed if canned
4 ounces tempeh, cubed
8 ounces vegetarian sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 cups hot cooked brown rice

1. In a large pot, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper and saute for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, file powder, parsley, Tabasco sauce, salt, and water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the pinto beans.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tempeh and vegetarian sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Add tempeh and sausage to tomato mixture and simmer about 5 minutes, until flavors are well blended. Adjust seasonings and serve over hot cooked rice.

Serves 4 to 6.