Red Beans and Rice and the Ghost Cat

I’m supposed to be blogging to promote my new release (left) but I’m tired of talking about the book and posting excerpts, so today is recipe day instead: red beans and rice.

Disclaimer: I’m not from Louisiana. I’m not even from the South, but I’ve lived here for ages and have spent quite a bit of time in Louisiana, getting addicted to Louisiana food. Still, if this recipe for red beans and rice is a bit off, you now know why.

2 cups red beans. I like small red beans best, but kidney beans are fine, too. Soak them overnight or at least for several hours, then drain.

2 Andouille sausages, sliced (or more, if you like lots and lots of meat with your beans). If you don’t like too much hot pepper, you can use other kinds of sausages. (Gasp!) Once all I had in the house was one Italian sausage (a kind that contains mozzarella cheese as well as meat, spices, etc.) and one chicken and apple sausage. They worked just fine. If the sausages aren’t laced with hot pepper, you can always add Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce. Actually, you can add them regardless, but with care, because usually the Andouille sausage is quite, quite hot. Ahhhhh. I love hot pepper. :)

Veggies: 1 onion, chopped, a few stalks of celery, chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, crushed.

Optional veggies: Use at least some of these in whatever quantity appeals to you: green pepper, red pepper, and leek, all chopped. I like the red pepper because it adds color, and the leek adds a nice touch of flavor.

Herbs: Parsley and/or cilantro, chopped. Parsley is somewhat standard for this dish; cilantro is an interesting addition, but it may not appeal to everyone. I’ve seen thyme in some recipes, but I keep forgetting to try it.

2 bay leaves – but be sure to remove before serving.

Tomato sauce – ¼ to ½ cup

Salt, pepper, and Tabasco or Crystal sauce to taste.

Sauté the onion, garlic and celery. Add the sliced sausage and other chopped veggies and sauté some more. Then add the beans, tomato sauce, bay leaves, and water to cover, and cook forever. Alternatively, you can cook the beans by themselves for a while and then add them to the veggie and sausage mix. I usually add the parsley and/or cilantro about the time I put the rice on to cook.

Cook whichever rice you like according to whichever method works for you. I usually steam basmati rice the Persian way, but I also use brown rice sometimes.

Season the beans to taste and serve over rice with lots of French bread and butter. Yum!

And, since I don't have a picture of this delicious meal because as usual I forgot to get out my camera, here's the ghost cat, Pause, instead. 

Wooooooooo.....

Photo credit: Shayda
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