The Gumbo Pages Traditional Red Beans And Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Put the dried beans in a large bowl or container and cover with water. Soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain well.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, scallion whites, celery, bell pepper and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute.
• Add the beans, 8 cups fresh water, the ham hock, bay leaves, cayenne, sage, thyme and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy and tender, about 2 hours. Add a few tablespoons water if the beans get too thick.
• Meanwhile, combine the rice and 3 cups water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender, and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit until ready to serve.
• Remove the ham hock from the beans and pull the meat off the bone. Chop the meat and stir it back into the beans; season with salt. Sprinkle with the vinegar; add more to taste. Divide the rice and beans among bowls; top with the scallion greens and hot sauce.

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight, if possible. The next day, drain and put fresh water in the pot. (This helps reduce the flatulence factor.)
• Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about 45 - 60 minutes, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain.
• While the beans are boiling, sauté the Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the liquid smoke (or ham hock), smoked sausage/turkey sausage, seasonings, and just enough water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. I taste the broth at around 1.5 hours and adjust seasonings as they cook down. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot.
• NOTE: If the beans are old -- say, older than six months to a year -- they won't get creamy. Make sure the beans are reasonably fresh. If it's still not getting creamy, take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir.
• If you can -- let the beans cool, stick them in the fridge, and reheat and serve for dinner the next day. They'll taste a LOT better. When you do this, you'll need to add a little water to get them to the right consistency.
• Serve generous ladles-ful over hot white long-grain rice, with good French bread. I also have a bottle of hot sauce on the side for those who like it spicy!

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add all ingredients except beans and rice and saute until vegetables are soft. Add beans and cook for 30 minutes over medium heat. Use hand blender or potato masher to mash beans until approximately 50 percent of the beans remain intact. Serve over cooked white rice.

Steps:

• Soften beans (soak first) with garlic.
• Boil until tender and whole, adding salt meat (previously boiled to soften) when almost tender.
• Add the milk, onion and seasonings.
• Wash rice, then add to the beans.
• Cook over gentle heat until liquid is absorbed.
• Stir gently with a fork, and add a little water from time to time until rice is cooked.
• Serve hot with a meat dish.
• (Some favorite meat dishes with rice and beans are: stuffed baked chicken, stew chicken, stew fish, fried fish or meat balls).