Monday, July 18, 2011

Cajun Black Beans and Rice

Gluten Free notes at the bottom of this post.Krista Kooks Cajun Red Beans and Rice 2So much of what I have forthcoming is from Pink Parsley.  I’m hard-pressed to find something she posts that I DON’T want to make for myself and the sous chef.  This recipe was not any different.Krista Kooks Cajun Red Beans and Rice
I’m serious…YUM!  To be fair, if you check out her recipe, you’ll notice that it should be red beans.  Yep, I had red beans purchased, too.  They were sitting right there next to the black beans in my pantry.  However, I manage to grab the black beans which is what ended up in my recipe.  Not so bog of a deal though; this was still fantastic.

What I love about good recipes that I want to share with family and friends is their capability of being good leftovers because I don’t ideally like leftovers.  I’m the kind of person that needs to have the best smelling and best tasting leftovers, which is usually how I determine what recipes I will make and then how much of that recipe I will make.  Hence the reason why this recipe was selected!

Ingredients
1 pound small red beans, rinsed and picked over (As I said above, Krista Kooks used black beans and used canned beans instead of doing the overnight process below)
Salt
4 slices of bacon, chopped fine
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (1/2-1 pepper)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1-2 ribs)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp paprika
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
ground black pepper
3 cups chicken broth
6 cups water
10 ounces andouille or chicken andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tsp red wine vinegar, plus more for seasoning
3 scallions, sliced thin
hot sauce, for serving

Directions
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in 4 quarts of water in a large pot and add the beans. For the overnight brine, allow to soak at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours. For the quick-soak method, bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat, cover, and stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans.

In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until browned and almost fully rendered, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in beans, broth, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat but just enough to still maintain a vigorous simmer. Stirring occasionally, cook 45-60 minutes, or until the beans are soft and the liquid has begun to thicken.

Stir in the sausage and 2 teaspoons of the red wine vinegar. Cook until the liquid is thick and the beans are fully tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve over rice, sprinkled with scallions and passed with hot sauce.

Make it Gluten Free!
  • Fortunately, this recipe is easily made gluten free!  Just be sure that your bacon and sausage are gluten free, and everything will be fine.  If using hot sauce, check that as well.  If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment to ask!Krista Kooks Cajun Red Beans and Rice 3

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