New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice (will feed yo mom and 'dem for a week)
tools:
crockpot or large pot
spoon
rice cooker or small pot for the rice
ingredients:
large red kidney beans
bell pepper
an onion (or you can buy some pre chopped bell peppers and onions)
2-3 bay leaves
tony chachere's seasoning ( it look like this:
Cheyenne
optional:
green onion or smoked sausage links
ham hock
start by soaking the beans for eight hours if they are dry (or you can buy canned blue runner beans to make it quick and easy)
after the beans are prepped, add them to the pot. You can add water or broth if you need some liquid. Make sure the beans are at medium heat for now. Add your chopped onions and bell beppers. Once the beans start to simmer, reduce the heat to low. You gonna want to stir.
Beans take really long if they are dry. Which is why I recommend a crockpot for the drybeans, and a regular pot for canned. I prefer dry beans because I can control how creamy I want my beans to be. To get creamy style redbeans, you'll need to watch your liquid to make sure that you have enough to really cook into the dry beans.
Notes on Meat:
there are two ways to serve the sausage. One is "restaurant style" where you cook the sausage in a separate pan until it is cooked. The second way is more "Home style" where the sausage is sliced into half inch discs and then added to the beans to be cooked. Everyone has their preference!
If you are going home style, add your sausage when your beans are about 30minutes to being done. Make sure you cook the sausage completely!
if you are adding ham hock, you can add it from the beginning . It's there to add savoriness.
As your beans are cooking, make your rice. Make sure to stir your beans every now and then.
The seasoning part is a matter of personal taste and art. Add your seasoning towards the end of the cooking to make sure that you don't over-season. Beans are really good at absorbing flavors and the flavors will get more intense as the liquid is cooked out! Sample through the part and add a little at a time
And that should do it! This is a great way to impress your family and friends!
Recommended side dishes:
cornbread
collard greens
Or you can just eat it on its own! It freezes really well, and I usually make plenty for leftovers.