Red Beans & Rice

[Guest guest]

I made this recipe from this blog last night:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/

 

It was really yummy. It was the first time my DH had had red beans and rice and

he

really liked it. Might want to cut back on the spicy red pepper if you have kids

though

 

Real Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

(Sans Animaux)

 

1 pound dry red kidney beans (if you're in Louisiana, only Camellia brand will

do)

4 cloves garlic

1 very large onion (about 2 cups chopped)

4 ribs celery

1 large bell pepper (about 1 1/2 cups chopped)

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4-1 teaspoon red pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-2 teaspoons chopped chipotle pepper, in adobo (this is not traditional but

lends a

smoky taste; substitute another tsp. of Liquid Smoke seasoning if you prefer)

1/2-1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

salt, to taste

cooked rice, to serve

 

Tip: Start off lightly with the red and black pepper and Tabasco sauce; you can

always

add more at the end.

 

Cover the beans with water 2 inches over beans and soak overnight. Or, bring

beans to a

boil for one minute, remove from heat, and soak for at least an hour. Drain

beans and

rinse.

 

Put the beans back in the pot and cover them with water 2 inches above level of

beans.

Put over high heat to begin cooking while you prepare the other ingredients.

 

You're going to want to chop the garlic, onion, celery, and bell pepper very

finely,

and the fastest and best way to do this is in a food processor. I throw the 4

peeled

cloves of garlic in first, and then add the onion, quartered, and pulse until

finely

chopped. Add this to the pot on the stove, and then do the same thing with the

celery

and bell peppers, adding each to the beans. Add the remaining ingredients,

except the

salt and the rice.

 

When the beans reach a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring every

now and

then, until they are completely tender and falling apart. This can take anywhere

from 2

to 3 hours, depending upon the age of your beans. (Add more water as necessary

to keep

them hydrated.) When they are completely tender, add the salt to taste, and

check the

seasonings. Add any additional spices you want, and cook for at least 10 more

minutes,

until sauce is thick and beans are disintegrating. Remove the bay leaves, and

serve

over rice.

 

Note: If your beans are old, they may never disintegrate, or at least not in

time for

dinner. What you have to do is take out a bunch of them, mash them up well, and

add

them back into the pot (or use a hand blender right in the pot). Then proceed as

though

they had fallen apart on their own. I won't tell anyone if you don't!