Red Beans and Rice

 

©Enigmangel - Can Stock Photo Inc.

By Jim Hingst

 

In Louisiana, red beans and rice is what’s for dinner on Monday. The reason is that the traditional Sunday dinner was baked ham. The leftovers including diced pieces of meat and the hambone were cooked with red beans and vegetables to make the dish. Today, cooks often substitute smoked sausage for the ham.

 

Red beans and rice not only taste great, but it makes a healthy meal. Red beans are not only a great source of cheap protein, they are also high in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar. Beans are also high in antioxidants, which can help prevent cancer and heart disease. Combined with cooked rice, red beans and rice provide your body with the full range of amino acids that your body needs for muscle growth.

 

A number of myths explain the origins of red beans and rice. Some say that the dish originated from the French Acadians, who migrated from Canada and settled in the swampland of Louisiana. These settlers, who were called Cajuns, cooked country food.

 

Others believe that African slaves created the recipe. As servants on plantations and in the households of the rich and famous of the time, they had access to more exotic ingredients, such as tomatoes and spices. Their style of cooking was known as Creole cuisine.

 

Whether the Cajuns or Creoles created red beans and rice, may never be decided. Today the is a favorite staple meal in the Deep South on Monday or any other day of the week.

 

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

(3) 14 1/2- to 16-ounce cans kidney beans

1 pound smoked Kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 large onion, chopped

2 inner celery ribs w/ leaves, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 can diced Italian tomatoes

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth

1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 teaspoon Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 teaspoons salt

3 cups cooked rice

 

Directions

 

Soak the dried navy beans in 15 cups of salted water for 24 hours. After the beans soak, they should double in volume.  The salt is essential in the soaking process. It will help soften the outer skin of the bean and at the same time prevent the bean from splitting open during cooking. One pound package of dried beans is equivalent to three to four 15-ounce cans of beans. Drain and rinse the beans.

 

Sauté onion, celery, green pepper and carrot in olive oil and butter until the onions are translucent and beginning to caramelize. Then add garlic and sauté until you can smell it. Be sure not to burn either the onions or garlic.

 

Lightly brown the sausage. Mix in the spices and a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.  Heat for two minutes until you can smell the fragrance of the spices. Deglaze the pan with broth.

 

Add the beans, sauteed vegetables, browned sausage and remaining ingredients to your slow cooker. Add additional chicken broth as needed.

 

Cook on low in a slow cooker until the vegetables are tender and flavors are blended. Simmer the mixture until it thickens. After tasting, adjust the seasoning of the dish to your taste.

 

Remove the bay leaves and serve the red bean mixture over cooked rice.

Try these other Signpost Recipes

Easy Turmeric Yellow Rice

The Best Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

The Best Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

The Best Hot Dog Toppings

Grilled Buffalo Wings

Armadillo Eggs

Meatloaf Burgers

Beer Brats

 

Bon Appetite!

About Jim Hingst: Sign business authority on vehicle wraps, vinyl graphics, screen printing, marketing, sales, gold leaf, woodcarving and painting. 

After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.

Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer.  Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.

Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 190 articles for  publications, such as  Signs Canada, SignCraft,  Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and  Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 500 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published.  Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon. 

Slides of Jim's Artwork

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