Red Beans and Rice

Red beans and rice is a dish that is of Creole origin (not Cajun, according to Wikipedia!). It is commonly served along rice in the southern state of Louisiana, and most will have likely come across it on a trip to New Orleans. New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, it’s brimming with art, and music, and delicious food. We visited a lot when we were growing up, and made a fair amount of Cajun and Creole dishes at home.

My stomach is certainly no stranger to red beans and rice, and I rarely get sick of the stuff. So simply yet so flavor pack! It is also a dish that can easily be made gluten free and vegetarian. This recipe comes together like rapid fire, but I recommend letting it stew in the pot for a few extra hours to bring out all of the flavors.

I am going to harp on this again for this recipe: RINSE YOUR RICE. It is so much better. Most rice packages actually recommend it! Also, please, mash some of the beans. It releases some of their starches and helps to thicken the liquid into more of a stew and less of a soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of red beans
• 2 cans of dark red beans
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion – chopped
• 3 celery stalks – chopped
• 1 large carrot – chopped
• 1 red pepper – chopped (optional)
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped
• Veggie sausage – sliced (optional – I never use it)
• 32 oz carton of GF veggie stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup of “bam” (Emeril’s signature seasoning blend – recipe here)
• Hot sauce, salt, pepper and extra “bam” to taste
• 2 cups of Jasmine Rice – rinsed
• 5 Cups water

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat – add in onions and a hearty pinch of salt. Sautee until fragrant – about 3 minutes
• Add celery, carrots, pepper (if using), garlic, bay leaves, 2 tbsp. bam and veggie sausage to the pot. Sautee for an additional 5 minutes
• Drain beans and add to pot along with veggie stock. Increase heat and bring to a rolling boil – reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes to get the beans nice and soft
• Use a masher to smash some of the beans into a paste – leave some beans whole. Stir to combine.
• Cover and let simmer for an additional 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick. It will thicken up in this time.
• Meanwhile start the rice by combining the rice and water into a medium sauce pan (make sure to salt the water well). Bring the rice to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a low simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
• At this point, it’s ready to eat. However, I recommend leaving it set to low for a few hours just to really bring all the flavors together.
• Serve with rice over the top or bottom (however you prefer) and a few healthy dashes of hot sauce.

Enjoy!