About 1 3/4 hours before serving: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 12 inch skillet with ovensafe handle (or cover skillet handle with heavy duty foil when baking in oven later), over medium high heat, in 1 tablespoon hot salad oil, cook kielbasa until browned on all sides. Remove kielbasa to plate.
In oil remaining in skillet and 1/4 cup additional salad oil, cook onion until tender; add zucchini and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown; with slotted spoon, remove vegetables to bowl with kielbasa.
In oil remaining in skillet, cook eggplant, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp. Stir in tomato, chicken broth, rice, salt, saffron, pepper, kielbasa, zucchini, mushrooms, and 1/3/4 cups water; over high heat, heat to boiling.
Place skillet in oven and bake, uncovered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes. Stir in frozen peas and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until heated through. Makes 6 main dish servings.
Each serving: about 670 calories, 40 g fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 1365 mg sodium.
