Louisiana Red Beans & Rice

Red Beans and Rice…Another Louisiana signature dishes. Here is a little history from wikipedia about how this signature dish got to us, when the slave rebellion happen in Haiti many of the rich white sugar planters fled to France in the New World. They brought with them red beans from the Caribbean. The dish came into creation in the kitchens of New Orleans' French Quarters  and it spread quickly through New Orleans kitchens.    

Traditionally it’s made on Mondays, but who said you had to follow the rules. This sounds like a good Friday night meal with a side of cornbread.  Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

1 bag Red Kidney Beans

Favorite Sausage

1 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped

1 Onion, diced

1 Bell Pepper, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

7 cups or water or more

Handful of chopped parsley

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Creole spices ( Tony Chachere’s)

Cooked Rice

Rinse beans well and soak them beforehand; maybe overnight. Saute the veggies in a pot with 1 tbs. of olive oil.  Add the beans and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover for about 1 1/2 hrs. Stir the mixture just once about every half hour. Add the sausage and spices. Simmer until liquid has thicken to a creamy gravy and beans are soft. Season to taste; if needed. Serve over cooked rice.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!