1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
1/8 cup chopped garlic
1 1/8 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 pound kielbasa or other cooked sausage, cut into 6 to 8-inch segments
2 smoked or cooked turkey legs
2 pounds cubed or shredded cooked turkey meat
1 cup chopped tomatoes and their juices
1 1/4 cups medium-grain white rice (about 1 1/8 pounds)
8 cups water
Hot Sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Cooking Recipe:

In a very large roasting pan measuring approximately 21 by 17 by 7 inches with handles on both sides, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, Essence, salt, pepper, cayenne and bay leaves, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are very soft and starting to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Add the sausages and cook, stirring, until they start to brown on the outside, about 7 minutes. Add the turkey legs and meat and stir well. Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the rice (many types of rice can be found in your supermarket, choose one that is suitable for the recipe) and stir well to incorporate and coat evenly. Add the water (if your tap water is hard, that is with a lot of minerals, you may want to use bottled water to maintain consistency and taste) , stir well to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover tightly, and cook without stirring until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 35 to 40 minutes, adding more water as needed if the liquid is all absorbed before the rice is tender.

Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green onions and parsley, and serve hot.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup