Hey there – did you know that today is Louisiana Day? Yup. It really feels good to FINALLY celebrate Louisiana Day after actually having visiting that state.
Two things I like best about Louisiana is their food and their dogs. Yup, I said dogs. Hubby has promised that once we get settled in Tennessee, I can get a couple of dogs. My favorite breed of dog is a lab. But recently I came across a Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog up for adoption at our local animal shelter. (I keep looking – it’s like window shopping). Just look at those eyes – so engaging – so alert. And this is the only breed of dog that originated in Louisiana – in the Catahoula Parish.
They can be anything from a mixture of colors like a Leopard to just one solid color. And their eyes are often two-tone. Bright, intelligent, fiercely loyal. I fell in love with this dog. There is just one tiny drawback – due to it’s loyal and somewhat possessive nature they tend to be aggressive toward other dogs, especially dogs of the same sex and should not be in a group setting. This is why doing your homework BEFORE adopting a four-legged family member is important. I want two dogs, and I prefer female dogs over male dogs. While this a general statement and not true of every breed, males tends to be more territorial, protecting the home turf while the females tends to be more family oriented, protecting people rather than property. As much as I like the smarts of the Catahoula breed, I keep circling back to a lab. There’s a reason labs are considered the best breed as a family pet. We’ll see what tomorrow holds.
Enough chit-chat about animals and the future, let’s get down to the here and now – and what’s cooking in the kitchen. This is the first time I’ve made Red Beans and Rice from scratch. I must say, my guys gobbled it up. This might just become a New Year’s Day tradition. Yah, I know it’s suppose to be Black Eyed Peas, but I’ve never warmed up to them. Red beans and rice – with not one or two but three types of pork -wow!
Red Beans and Rice
Louisiana Red Beans
1 lb dried Red Kidney Beans
6 strips Thick Bacon
1 lb Andouille Cajun Sausage
1 Yellow Onion
3 Celery Ribs
1 Red or Yellow Bell Pepper
5 Garlic Cloves
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or to taste
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
6 cups Chicken Stock
1 large Smoked Ham Hock
1-1/2 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
3 Green Onions
Louisiana Hot Sauce for serving
In a large bowl, combine the dried kidney beans, 1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 6 cups of water. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Leave undisturbed at room temperature for at least 8 hours, up to 16. Drain and rinse.
Stack bacon strips, cut into pieces. Slice sausage into rounds. Peel and dice onion. Trim celery, dice. Stem bell pepper. Remove and discard seeds, dice pepper. Peel and mince garlic. Set aside.
Heat a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and the fat has rendered. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a small bowl. Increase the heat to medium and add the sliced sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the browned sausage the bowl with the bacon.
Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery to the pot and cook the veggies until they’re starting to brown. Add the garlic, paprika, thyme, and cayenne and cook for 2 more minutes.
Return the sausage and bacon to the pot and add the chicken stock. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Add the Worcestershire, soaked beans, ham hock, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 2 hours.
Remove the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the beans are very creamy. Remove the ham hock, shred the meat (discard the bones), and return the meat to the beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add a bit of sherry vinegar to taste for brightness.
While the beans simmer for the last 30 minutes, make the rice for serving. Snip green onions for garnish.
Rice for Serving
1-1/2 cups White Rice
Pinch Salt
1-3/4 cups Water
4 tablespoons Butter
Place rice, salt and water in a saucepot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer; covered, for 15 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and rice is tender. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then fluff.
To serve mound rice in the center of individual bowls. Ladle the beans around the rice. Top rice with a little pat of butter. Garnish with green onions. Serve with hot sauce to pass around the table.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
