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Red Beans and Rice
1 Ib. dry red beans
4 quarts water
2 meaty ham hocks
8 cups beef or chicken stock
4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. andouille
1/2 Ib. tasso, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1TBSP. minced garlic
2 Ibs. (8 individual) chaurice sausage or other fresh hot sausage
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Red wine vinegar, to taste
4 cups cooked hot rice
Hot pepper sauce, to taste
Put all in pan, cover with enough water to be 2 inches over beans. Cover
and bring to a boil, boil 5 mins. Cut off heat and let stand 1 hr.
Place beans, ham hocks, and stock in a heavy 6-8 quart. stock pot or Dutch
oven. The beans should be covered by about 2-3 inches of liquid; add more liquid
if necessary. Bring to a boil and skim any scum that collects on the surface.
Reduce heat to a simmer and add the bay leaves, thyme, cayenne and black pepper.
Simmer for 30 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
Chop 1/4 Pound of the andouille into 1/4 inch pieces. Place it in a
12-inch cast-iron frying pay or other heavy frying pan with tasso if you are
using it. Fry for 5 minutes to render the fat and brown the meat.
Add chopped onion and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft, about
10 minutes. Add bell pepper, green onions and garlic. Cook an additional 5
minutes, then add to the simmering pot of red beans.
Continue to cook beans until they are soft and some begin to break apart,
about another hour. Allow the beans to cool; refrigerate, covered, overnight or
for up to 4 days.
When ready to serve, bring beans to a simmer. Place chaurice whole in a
covered heavy frying pan and fry over medium heat for about 15 minutes, checking
sausages frequently and turning them as they brown. Meanwhile, slice remaining
andouille into 1/4 inch slices and add to beans Cook in the beans for about 10
minutes. Taste the beans for salt and pepper and correct if necessary; add a
little vinegar if you wish. To serve, place about 1/2 cup rice in center of each
plate, spoon beans over rice and accompany with 1 chaurice. Serve with hot
pepper sauce. Makes 8 servings
Red Beans and Rice
1lb dried
red beans, picked over and rinsed
3 quarts water
2 small but meaty ham hocks (about 1 3/4 lb)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced green pepper
2 tbsp finely minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground allspice
coarse or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf or Italian parsley
In a large stockpot, bring 1 1/2 quarts water to a boil.
Add red beans and boil for 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat
and allow beans to soak for one hour.
Drain
beans and set aside. Rinse the pot, add 5 cups
fresh water and return to medium heat. Add ham hocks,
bay leaves, thyme and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil
and simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans.
In
a heavy skillet over moderately high heat, heat
olive oil until hot but not smoking.
Add celery, onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently,
until the edges of the vegetables begin to color,
about 8 to 10 minutes. Add allspice and cook,
stirring constantly, until spice is absorbed.
Stir vegetable and spice mixture into stockpot.
Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of water, bringing the liquid
to a boil and scraping up any browned bits.
Add to stockpot and simmer until beans are cooked
but not mushy, about 60 to 75 minutes.
Remove ham hocks and discard. (If hocks are particularly meaty,
remove bits of ham and add to the beans.) Salt and pepper beans to taste.
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come,
and when death has come, we are not.
- Epictetus