HEARTY CAJUN RED BEANS & RICE
This is another dish from our travels to Louisiana that won us over. As my daughter in love said recently, it’s like eating strength and goodness. The flavours are a paradox of simplicity and complexity…if that makes sense? It tastes like it has simmered for hours and hours on the back burner on the cook stove of a loving creole mama. Savoury, salty, smoky, and definitely hearty, it has a depth of flavour that is sure to satisfy pretty well everyone at the dinner table. I served it recently with my Cajun Creamed Corn alongside jalapeño cheddar hush puppies and it definitely went over very well. Let me know what you think!
INGREDIENTS
1 lb dry red beans, (in Canada they are called red chili beans, not Kidney beans.)
4 rashers bacon, chopped
1 cup andouille sausage, cubed or sliced (chorizo can be substituted if andouille isn’t available)
2 cups smoked sausage, sliced
1 large onion, diced
4 celery ribs, diced
1 Lg red bell pepper, diced
1 Lg green bell pepper, diced
7-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
2 tsp fresh oregano (1 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh thyme (½ tsp dried)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne red pepper
1/4 tsp Black pepper
6 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
Soak the dry beans in a large soup pot overnight. (Double the water to beans ratio)
Saute the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown.
Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pot.
Add the onions to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
Add the celery, peppers and garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the salt, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper and sauté another 4 minutes to allow the spices to ‘bloom’.
Drain the beans and rinse well. Add them to the pot along with the chicken broth, sausage and bay leaves.
Turn up the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Allow to boil for 3-4 minutes.
Cover and reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. The beans are ready when you can easily mash them with a spoon against the side of the pot.
When they are ready, remove one cup of beans into a blender or bowl and mash well and then add them back to the pot. This gives the beans a lovely creamy texture to coat the rice you will serve them with.
Now is the time to adjust the seasonings and salt to your personal taste preference. I add hot sauce as we are all spice lovers.
Stir in parsley the fresh parsley and remove from heat.
Serve over cooked rice. I prefer parboiled rice for this recipe as it has a great firm structure that pairs well with the beans and gravy.
