Ham and Sausage Jambalaya

Turn on oven to 350ºF.

Combine all spices in a small bowl and set aside. In a Dutch oven or other oven safe pot with a lid, add 1 ounce of oil and heat over medium heat. Brown the ham (and tasso if using) and sausage. Add tomato paste and stir to coat the meat. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until it starts to caramelize.

Stir in the spice mixture and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add all the vegetables except the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining oil and rice, stirring to coat the rice.

Pour in the stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove anything that is stuck there. Add canned tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot, put it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the bay leaves, and serve immediately.