Red beans and rice is an emblematic dish of Louisiana Creole cuisine (not originally of Cajun cuisine), traditionally made on Mondays with red beans, rice, spices, and pork bones left over from Sunday dinner, cooked together slowly in a pot and served over rice. It is an old custom from the time when ham was a Sunday meal and Monday was washday. A pot of beans could sit on the stove and simmer while the women were busy scrubbing clothes. Similar dishes are common in Latin American cuisine, including moros y cristianos and gallo pinto.

How To Make Real New Orleans
Red Beans And Rice Directions:

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE
This recipe is featured on pages 116-117 of the 2001 Frommer's Guide to New Orleans.

1 pound red kidney beans, dry
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
5 ribs celery, chopped
As much garlic as you like, minced
1 large smoked ham hock, 3/4 pound of Creole-style pickle meat (pickled pork), or 3/4 lb. smoked ham, diced, for seasoning
1 to 1-1/2 pounds mild or hot smoked sausage or andouille, sliced on the bias
1/2 to 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed
1 or 2 bay leaves
As many dashes Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco as you like, to taste
A few dashes Worcestershire sauce
Creole seasoning blend, to taste; OR,
red pepper and black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Fresh Creole hot sausage or chaurice, links or patties, grilled or pan-fried, one link or patty per person (optional)
Pickled onions (optional)

Soak the beans overnight, if possible. The next day, drain and put fresh water in the pot. (This helps reduce the, um, 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 ham hock (or ham or pickle meat), smoked sausage, seasonings, and just enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot. (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.

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Popeye's Red Beans and Rice

3 (16 ounce) cans red beans
(2 cans with liquid, 1 can drained )
1/2 to 3/4 pound smoked ham hock
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon lard
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
4 to 5 cups long grain rice, cooked and drained

Pour 2 cans of beans with their liquid into a 2-quart saucepan. Add smoked ham hock and water. Simmer over medium heat for 1 hour until the meat starts to loosen from the bone.

Remove from heat and cool until the hock is cool enough so the meat may be removed from the bone. Place the meat, beans and liquid in a food processor. To the mixture add onion powder, garlic salt, red pepper, salt, and lard. Process for only 4 seconds. Beans should be chopped and liquid thick. Add the third can of beans that have been drained of their liquid. Process just for a second or two; you want these beans to remain almost whole. Pour bean mixture back into to pan and cook slowly on low heat stirring often until ready to serve.

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Fast Red Beans

2 cans red kidney beans, (15 ounces each)
3 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions, with tops
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 jar (2 oz) chopped pimiento
1 can (8 oz) tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 pound Polish sausage, sliced, if desired

Fry bacon and crumble into kidney beans. Saute vegetables in the bacon drippings. Cook until vegetables are wilted. Add beans and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.
Serves 4.

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BAYOU ST. JOHN RED BEANS AND RICE

2 cups red beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 bay leaf
dash cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 meaty ham bone or ham hock
hot cooked rice
smoked sausage, optional

Wash beans, soak overnight. Drain well. In a large kettle, combine beans with onion, garlic, salt, bay leaf, pepper, and ham hocks; cover with cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until done.

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FRENCH QUARTER RED BEANS AND RICE

1 lb. red beans
1/2 lb. sausage, or more to your taste
1 onion (chopped)
2 sections garlic (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons celery
1 tablespoon parsley
1 lg. bay leaf
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper , or to taste
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons cumin

Put beans in pot of water and rinse. Remove bad beans that float to top. Drain water off and put beans in deep pot with 8-9 cups water. Bring to boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let set for 2 hours. Sponsored
Put back on heat at moderate to slow boil.

Meanwhile, saute in extra-light virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, parsley, and celery. Add sausage to saute. Then add entire sauteed mixture to beans. Add bay leaf and spices to entire mixture. Boil gently (simmer), stirring occasionally, for 2-3 hours, until tender and squishy. If mixture becomes too thick, add microwave-hot water to thin.

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French Quarter Sausage, Red Beans and Rice Pizza
Source: National Hot Dog and Sausage Council

1 (12-inch) prepared pizza crust
1 1/2 cups chopped andouille or smoked sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (16 ounce) can red or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, or as desired
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, as desired
1/2 cup cooked white rice
8 ounces (2 cups) sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped and seeded plum tomatoes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a medium, nonstick skillet placed over medium heat, sauté sausage for 3 to 4 minutes. Add beans, ground red pepper, salt and black pepper, stirring until heated through.

Spread bean mixture over pizza crust; sprinkle with rice, cheese and tomatoes. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

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Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 chile pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups cooked rice

In a 4-quart pot, combine the beans, 2 cups of the water, onions, sweet peppers, parsley, garlic, chile peppers, pepper flakes, ground red pepper, bay leaves, thyme and basil. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the bay leaves from the bean mixture and discard them.

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