Main Dish:

• ¼ cup virgin olive oil
• ½ stick butter or margarine
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 – 28 oz. can crushed or pureed tomatoes
• 1 large zucchini, peeled and chopped
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed small
• 1 large yam, peeled and cubed small
  (southern sweet potato)
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 2 T or to taste Madeira wine or Ruby Port
• 2 T Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 T Tabasco Hot Sauce or to taste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups cooked Home Style Rice (see below)

Seasoning Mix:

• 1 t. crushed red pepper
  (use less or more to adjust heat)
• 1 t. cayenne pepper (ground red pepper)
• 1⁄2 t. tarragon
• 1⁄2 t. Coleman’s Dry English Mustard
• 1⁄2 t. basil
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1⁄2 t. thyme
• 1⁄2 t. ground white pepper
• 1⁄2 t. ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 t. ground black pepper
• 1 t. white sugar

Home Style Rice:

• 2 cups rice
• 2 ½ cups stock
• ¼ cup celery, diced fine
• ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced fine
• ¼ cup yellow onion, diced fine
• Seasoning Mix:
  • 1 t. kosher salt
  • 1⁄4 t. basil
  • 1⁄4 t. thyme
  • 1⁄4 t. Coleman’s Dry English Mustard
• 1 ½ T. butter or margarine, cubed

Prepare Home Style Rice:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a loaf pan, combine all ingredients and mix well.  Seal pan snugly with foil.  Bake until rice is tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Prepare Main Dish:

In a medium stockpot, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion, green pepper, carrots, celery, jalapeno peppers, garlic and scallions. 

Cook down until onions turn clear. 

Add seasoning mix, stir well, reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes. 

Add remaining vegetables, wine, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. 

Stir well, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot. 

Cook for 3 minutes. 

Add the stock and bring to a high simmer.  Cover the pot and cook until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. 

Uncover the pot, add rice and stir well.  Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced and the mixture is firm.

Lessons learned: This dish freezes well.

Note: If you don’t like spicy hot food, reduce the amount of jalapenos, red pepper and cayenne pepper.  If you are serving to a group, serve with a selection of hot sauces.