Sunday, June 22, 2008

Louisiana Red Beans & Rice

I have to say that these are the best red beans & rice that I've ever had. Aubrey bought 7 pounds of Cajun link sausages (we've been eating it for days) the other day, and I've been searching for recipes. This recipe came from Tyler Florence on the Food Network, and I'll definitely be making it again. This is not a week day meal because it takes a good bit of time to cook, but it's perfect for a Saturday or Sunday supper and for large group gatherings.

Ingredients:
1 pound dried small red beans, picked over and rinsed
2 large smoked ham hocks
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green onions, green part only, chopped, plus more for garnish
Red pepper sauce (I use Tabasco)
2 andouille sausages, cut into 3-inch chunks (I used the Cajun sausages, cut into 1/4-inch chunks)
4 cups cooked white rice

Directions:
Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak the beans overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the beans and put them in a large heavy pot with the ham hocks, adding just enough cold water to cover (about 2 quarts). Add the onion, celery, green pepper, cayenne, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, green onions, and several shakes of red pepper sauce; give everything a good stir to combine. Simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 1/2 hours. You want the beans to be almost overcooked, like they are getting ready to burst. Stir the beans occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pot. Add about 1 cup of water toward the end of cooking if the mixture appears too thick or dry.

Mash about 1 cup of the cooked beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, this makes the broth thick and creamy. Toss in the sausages and cook for another 30 minutes to heat them through. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. Serve the red beans in a wide bowl over some steamed white rice and garnished with chopped green onion.

1 comment:

jennyhope said...

how on earth do you guys not gain a million pounds? LOL
u have some serious skillz