Ingredients
- 3 bacon slices, diced
- 1 cup cubed, cooked ham
- 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced
- 1/4 pound ground Italian sausage
- 2 cups diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup peeled and diced eggplant
- 2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 2 cups sliced fresh okra
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can tomato puree
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Hot sauce
Preparation
Step 1
. Preheat oven to 375º. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.
2. Sauté ham and next 2 ingredients in hot drippings until well browned. Remove ham mixture, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Sauté onion, next 3 ingredients, and 1/2 tsp. salt in drippings 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic. Cook 2 minutes; stir in eggplant. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. Spoon mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Cook rice in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in skillet, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until fragrant and golden. Spoon rice over onion mixture in dish; top with ham mixture and bacon.
4. Sauté okra in remaining 1 Tbsp. hot oil in skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add wine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth, next 5 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. salt; bring to a boil. Pour okra mixture over meat, and cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.
5. Bake at 375º for 1 hour or until rice is tender. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve with hot sauce