Red Beans and Rice

Mardi Gras was last week. My friend had us over to celebrate on Sunday (who needs a calendar to celebrate when you feel like it)? He mentioned he was having a Turducken and well since I can't eat turkey, I offered to bring something I could eat (I missed where he said he was making gumbo...more because Turducken is one of those foods I want to try, and am slightly jealous of the people who do get to have it).

Anyway, D and I started assembling the ingredients on Saturday. We went to the butcher for the Tasso and Andouille (and have a beer). We soaked the red beans for over 16 hours. On Sunday we bought the rest of the ingredients at Kroger.

Then I started making it. It was pretty easy to do. Of course I doubled the recipe, but my notes are going to be pertaining to the 8 servings it served. The smell through out the house was incredible. The beans were still hard after 16 hours, but softened in the boiling stock.

For the party, it was well received. And the portions are huge. And I still want some turducken.

Will definitely have again. I think the NI is a little high. I had trouble figuring out what a pound of Ham Hocks equalled in calories. I think the NI was based on it without the bone. 1 pound of bone-in ham hock resulted in .5 lb of meat, which is what I used).

Photo by ALB

Red Beans and Rice

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Total Time: 2 hr 50 min; Prep: 20 min; Cook: 2 hr 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients
1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
3 tablespoons bacon grease (used 2 TBSP of vegetable oil)
1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
3 bay leaves 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (used andouille)
1 pound smoked ham hocks
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
10 cups chicken stock, or water (used 6 C of chicken broth)
4 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions
Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Photo by ALB

Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Al's Note: After 90 minutes, slit the ham hocks.

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. (Al's Note: Remove the ham hocks and if still on the bone, take out, put on a cutting board, chop the meat and add the meat back in). Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Photo by ALB

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Nutritional Information from My Fitness Pal
Calories: 447; Total Fat: 18 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 52 mg; Sodium: 1430 mg; Potassium: 154 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 69 g; Dietary Fiber: 28 g; Sugars: 4 g; Protein: 30 g

Ingredients Used
1.50 cup(s), Onions - Raw
0.75 cup(s), Celery - Raw
0.75 cup(s), Peppers - Sweet, green, raw
0.50 tsp(s), Spices - Salt, table
0.50 tsp(s), Spices - Pepper, black
0.06 tsp(s), Ground Cayenne Red Pepper (Gourmet Collection)
2.00 tbsp(s), Parsley - Raw
0.50 lb(s), Andouille Smoked Sausage
3.00 tbsp(s), Garlic - Raw
4.00 cup(s), Rice - White, long-grain, regular, cooked
0.25 cup(s), Onions - Young green, tops only
1.00 lb(s), Red Beans - Dry
0.33 lb(s), Cajun Spicy Ham
2.00 tbsp, Oil - Vegetable, canola
2.00 tsp, Spices - Thyme, fresh
8.00 oz (112g), Ham Hock
3.00 leaf, Bay Leaf
6.00 cup (240ml), Chicken Broth 1 Cup

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001