August tends to be hot and humid in Wisconsin and, as such, I turn to salads, sandwiches, and meals that can be made without turning on the stove. So that means we'll be having jambalaya at least once this month:
Wait, you're saying, isn't jambalaya one of those long-simmering stovetop dishes that's best left for colder months? Not if you have a rice cooker. This particular recipe involves a two-step process in which vegetables are allowed to soften in butter for a bit and then literally all of the remaining ingredients are dumped into the rice cooker with the veggies and given the proper rice cooker treatment. It's an amazing recipe and, if you toss a goodly amount of vegetable matter in at the beginning, it's even a great way to work more vegetables into your diet.
Depending on your desired spice level, you may wish to tweak the seasonings in this recipe. I'd call the final result medium-hot, depending on how much heat your sausage has in it. I always have hot sauces at the table for adding more heat, if desired. I also like serving jambalaya with corn muffins, as pictured here, but if it's too hot, I just skip that and make this a one-dish meal. Some sliced watermelon is a great addition, too. Keep cool and enjoy the heat in your bowl!
Rice Cooker Jambalaya
- 1/2 stick butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1/4 c. chopped garlic scapes
- 2 1/2 c. uncooked rice
- 3 links (about 10 oz.) Andouille sausage, sliced
- 4 c. chicken broth
- 2 tsp. cajun seasoning
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
Place the butter and veggies in the rice cooker and press cook. After about 20 minutes of cooking, add the remaining ingredients; stir well, and make sure the cook setting on the cooker is set. Cover and allow to cook until the warm setting is achieved. Open the cooker, stir the rice, and cover again to let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes