New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

My dad was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, so I consider myself half Cajun. Yep, I have etouffee and gumbo in my veins, and I truly believe there are few things in life more satisfying then a big ol' pot of spicy boiled crawfish and a cold beer. Mmm, mmm, Mmm!

The city of New Orleans has a special place in my heart, and I try to make at least an annual voyage to the Crescent City, if not for drinking and gambling, then for the amazing food and music.

Red beans and rice sounded just the thing for a cold winter night. Like many recipes, I have the basics flavors down, and look to cookbooks, apps and the web to provide the cooking times and approximate measurements. I found this recipe below from Epicurious, used less beans and meat, added more veggies, added more spice, and I changed up the preparations. The recipe provided includes my revisions.

If you have an iPhone, you should totally download the Epicurious app. Out of all the food apps, I use this one the most, almost on a daily basis to come up with new recipe ideas. (On a related note, you should also get the iGarageSale app to search for nearby Estate Sales. If you're into that, of course.)

New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice

• 2/3 pound dried red kidney beans, picked over
• 1/2 pound smoked link sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch thick half moons
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 pale-green inner celery ribs (with leaves), chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, or to taste
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme, crumbled
• 2 Tsp dried oregano, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp Tabasco
• 3/4 Tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 Tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 Tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 Tsp cayenne, or to taste
• 2 Tsp salt, or to taste
• 3 cups cooked brown rice

Preparation

In a bowl soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight. Rinse and put into large, heavy pot with salted water, cover and cook at a high boil. In a separate pan, heat to medium high, add oil and brown the sausage. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, add the diced celery, onions and green bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until getting soft, add salt and pepper to taste, along with the bay leaves and garlic. Saute for about 2 more minutes, add the sausage to the mixture, stir to combine. Once the flavors have blended, combine with the beans, which should be at a rolling boil. Combine and continue cooking at a rolling boil for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to soften. Add the cooked rice and chicken stock. Continue cooking for 15 more minutes, or until beans are tender.

My music clip of the day is a tribute to this soulful city. If you've ever seen a Second Line in New Orleans, celebrating a wedding, or even a funeral, it's an experience you won't forget. Everyone on the street - young, old, black, white - takes a moment out of their day to join the second line, to unite in rhythmic celebration, and also to remember those that have passed.