Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

 

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

 

A Louisiana Creole family favorite, Red Beans and Rice feeds a hungry crowd for Sunday dinner, with really tasty food and at a modest cost. The beans are generally not red kidney beans, but rather the smaller red beans, which are also used in some Caribbean countries as well as in Louisiana. The meat in this dish is typically Andouille sausage, made with pork and hot peppers and often smoked.

 

I’m making it more easily than the original, since I use canned red beans, rather than soaking and boiling dry beans from scratch, plus I’m using commercially available Cajun Seasoning – which contains salt. (I use Louisiana Brand, but Chacheré’s Creole is also good.) This blog has a number of readers in other countries and, unfortunately, this particular regional American dish may not be one you can easily get key ingredients for. But if you ever visit Louisiana, try it there!

 

The recipe serves six as a dinner dish on top of white rice, traditionally medium-grained rice from Louisiana or Arkansas. I like jasmine rice, which is more available and which we cook with a lot. Brown rice will also work. (See elsewhere in this blog – check the index – for rice cooking notes.) Offer a Louisiana-style hot sauce for diners to add to their food if they wish, like Crystal, Louisiana Brand, Tabasco, “Frank’s RedHot,” or Texas Pete,

 

1 medium-large green or red bell pepper, cut in 1/4-inch dice

1 large stick celery, split lengthwise several times, then cut crosswise 1/4-inch wide

1 medium-large, cut in 1/4-inch dice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (14-ounce) Andouille sausage, split lengthwise then cut in 1/4-inch lengths

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 (14-ounce) can diced or crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings

2 (14-ounce) cans red beans (not red kidney beans), drained but not rinsed

Salt if needed

Green onion tops thinly sliced for garnish

Hot unsalted cooked white rice, either medium-grained or jasmine. for serving

 

In a heavy pot, gently fry the cut up bell pepper, celery, and onion in the oil, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

 

Add the cut Andouille sausage and garlic, and fry, stirring frequently, another 10 minutes.

 

Add the tomatoes, including any juice, plus the Cajun Seasoning. Simmer another 10 minutes. Finally add the drained red beans and simmer, stirring occasionally, another 15 minutes. Taste, and if the salt is not sufficient, add a little as needed.

 

Serve hot over hot unsalted white rice in shallow soup bowls. Top with a sprinkling of thinly sliced green onion tops. Pass the Louisiana-style hot sauce for diners to add to their taste.