My First Attempt at Red Beans and Rice

Upon moving to Louisiana two years ago, my husband and I made a cooking vow...a vow to try making cajun/creole cuisine in our home. We had attempted gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish etoufee and decided the next recipe to try would be red beans and rice. Fortunately, the timing matched perfectly with my in-laws' visit from Florida. You see, my father-in-law is a BIG fan of rice, especially dirty rice and red beans and rice. I was nervous to try this for "company" the first time but decided to go for it anyway.

The trickiest part of red beans and rice was finding the right recipe. Friends had given me various recommendations, from certain brands of sausage to whether or not to use ham hocks (I did not). I finally went to the food network and looked at New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse to help me get started. I liked his recipe but I wanted to simplify it a little for a couple of reasons. He called for bacon fat and ham hocks, neither of which I had or wanted to mess with. He left out Creole Seasoning, which I liked, so I made sure to add. In the end, my first attempt was met with rave reviews, the only complaint being that there was not enough rice for the leftovers. Personally, I would just make more fresh rice, as refrigerated rice seems to lose its fluffiness. You can always add more or less Creole Seasonings, depending on your liking. Be sure to serve this classic dish with french bread.

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:
* 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
* 3 tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
* 3/4 cup chopped celery
* 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Creole Seasonings (I used 6 "shakes" but use as much or little as you like)
* 3 bay leaves
* 1 t. dried thyme
* 1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
* 10 cups chicken stock, or water
* 4 cups cooked white rice
* 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease or oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and creole seasonings, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and sausage, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.