Red Beans & Rice

My family is from the South. I love southern food, especially from the New Orleans area. Whenever I visit New Orleans, one of the first dishes I eat is Red Beans & Rice, washed down with an Abita beer. This recipe from Emeril Lagasse is easy, delicious, spicy and the perfect dish for a Mardi Gras supper. I don’t follow any of the directions listed below, I just throw everything into my slow cooker before work and my house smells like southern hospitality when I get home in the evening. Sprinkling some essence on the dish “kicks it up a notch”.  BAM! (I know, how lame was that??)

Ham Hock, Red Beans and Rice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons minced garlic

8 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 2 ounce links

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

1 ham hock, about 1 pound

1 pound red beans, soaked and drained

8 to 10 cups chicken stock

2 cups cooked white long grain rice, warm

Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped green onions and Essence, recipe follows

Crusty loaf bread

Directions

In a stock pot, saute the onions, celery, and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage, bay leaf, black pepper, thyme, cayenne, and salt, saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the ham hock and beans. Cover the mixture with the stock. Bring up to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the bean mixture for 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Mash 1/4 of the mixture against the side of the pot with a spoon. Reseason with salt and pepper if needed. Remove the ham hock and slice the meat off the bone. To assemble, spoon the warm rice onto the serving bowl. Ladle the bean mixture right over the top. Garnish with green onions, Essence and crusty bread.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup