As I’ve said in the past, Red Beans & Rice is always fun for me to cook because I change the recipe everytime I make it. This one was probabaly the best batch I’ve made in years, so I’ll honor it with a side of Louis Armstrong singing and playing Basin Street Blues, because Red Beans & Rice just don’t seem right without Louis Armstrong.
Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Duck fat
- 2 tbsp Creole Seasoning
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- ½ cup Red bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup Celery chopped
- 1 cup Andouille sausage cubed
- ½ lb Small red beans soaked overnight or for at least a few hours
- 1 tbsp Garlic minced
- 1 Smoked ham hock
- 3½ cups Chicken stock
- 3 Bay leaves
- 1 bundle Thyme
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Crystal hot sauce
- ½ cup Tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup Green onions thinly sliced on the bias
- ½ recipe Creole Boiled Rice
Instructions
- Mix together the Holy Trinity (Onions, Celery, Bell Pepper). Drain the beans.
- Melt the duck fat over medium heat.
- Add 1/2 of the Holy Trinity, 1 Tbsp of the Creole Seasoning and the Andouille, turn the heat to medium high. Cook this for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to get some color.
- Add the beans and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
- Add the Chicken Stock or Water, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Thyme, Ham hock the remaining Trinity and Creole Seasoning. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let this simmer for 2- 2 1/2 Hours. The first hour is low maintenance; an occasional stir and making sure the beans are covered with liquid. The second hour, you want to check back a little more often, the beans will really start to absorb some liquid and you don't want them to stick.
- Remove the Ham hock, trim away any meat and add it back to the pot.
- After the beans have cooked for two hours, add the Tomato Sauce, the Parsley and 1/2 of the Green Onions. Make your Rice. Cook the beans for another half hour.
Notes
To Serve: Remove the Bay Leaves. Mound a half cup of Rice each, onto two serving plates, Cover with a generous helping of the Red Beans, Garnish with the remaining Green Onions. Make sure their is a bottle of hot sauce on the table. Perfect compliments to this meal are a simple vinaigrette salad, a side of Chaurice, Good Crusty French Bread, and your favorite Ice Cold Beer.