From pam@tapededitions.com Mon Dec 20 16:24:43 1999 Date: 15 Dec 1999 07:42:44 -0700 From: Pam Whitmire Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes Subject: New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Followup-To: rec.food.cooking This was the "lagniappe" that was given in the back of one of Alexandra Ripley's books. It is the BEST I have ever eaten and the first time I realized kidney beans are the red beans in recipes, NOT pinto beans. Most East Texas folks think red beans are pintos and I've given up trying to convince them - I just give them the recipe! New Orleans Red Beans and Rice 1 lb. dried red kidney beans 2 quarts of cold water 1 meaty ham bone or a thick slice of ham, cut into cubes 1/2 pound hot sausage, sliced thick 1 bunch of scallions, including green tops 1 bell pepper 2 stalks of celery 3 medium onions Large pinch of ground thyme 4 bay leaves Cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce Salt, Pepper and White Rice (cooked) Rinse beans twice, discard bad ones. Put in a large, heavy pot, 3-4 qt.size. Add water, ham and sausage. Set uncovered on a burner at medium heat. While the beans are soaking and warming, chop and add the scallions, bell pepper, celery and onions. Add thyme and bay leaves.(I don't use bay leaves and it's still good) When mixture boils, reduce heat and cover. Stir every 20-30 minutes for 3 hours. Then, with a wooden spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. If they don't mash easily, try again after 1/2 hour. 40 minutes after mashing beans, taste and season with cayenne. Cook Ladle over rice and serve. The vegetables cook away to nothing - the mashed beans thicken the sauce to a creamy consistency. Even better warmed the next day, and it freezes well. -- ~~Rec.food.recipes is moderated; only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting. Please read the FAQ posted weekly Recipes/requests go to recipes@rt66.com; questions/comments to tfdpress@acpub.duke.edu. Please allow several days for your submission to appear.