Louisiana Creole Vegetable Jambalaya - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 green peppers, seeded and diced
2 red peppers, seeded and diced
1 cup black-eyed peas, cooked
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped with juice
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 zucchini, diced
1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring until wilted, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring 1 minute longer.
Mix in the thyme, paprika, salt, cayenne, and bay leaf.
Add both of the bell pepper, the black eye peas, tomatoes with their juices, and broth.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Adjust the seasonings. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Add the zucchini and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cover until the rice is tender, 20 minutes.
Adjust the seasonings, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.