No other ingredient or food type epitomizes New Orleans culinary traditions then the lowly red bean. It’s said that few other foods are relevant to its identity. When Paul Prudhomme first came to New Orleans as a sous chef he discovered the city’s deep love for this type of bean. He had no idea of its relevance, why was it any more important than say pintos or black-eyed peas? To him a bean was a bean.
He soon found out how wrong he was and that a culture obsessed with certain traditions that go back further than anyone could remember, was almost religious in its zeal. Red beans is one such tradition.
So, what is the legend behind this simple love affair with red beans? Some say it started with the tradition of serving ham for Sunday dinners in New Orleans. The leftover ham bone, with a fair amount of clinging meat, was still useful the next day for flavoring in a soup or stew.
Thus, when Monday came and laundry or other chores got in the way of cooking, someone along the way combined the ham bones with red beans and let it cook all day until done. Thus, the tradition began. Other numerous stories tell of origins brought by enslaved peoples or the Acadians who brought it with their cooking traditions from Nova Scotia.
Regardless of its humble beginning, red beans and rice has this engrained love affair with the City’s inhabitants regardless of race, class, age or political persuasion. Sara Roahen, who authored Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table, writes, “Food unites with complete sincerity. It harbors no ulterior motives; its power is irreversible. Red beans and rice is the best example of that ability to unify.”
So, given this tradition and love affair with a simple bean, let’s cook up a pot of Red Beans & Rice!!
Red Beans & Rice
Course. Lunch or Dinner.
Cuisine. Louisiana Cajun-Creole
Makes. 3-4 servings
Takes. 30 minutes prep, 2.5-3 hours cooking time
Ingredients
16 ounces Rancho Gordo Rio Zape Red Beans (or fresh dried red beans of choice)
12 ounces Andouille sausage, thinly sliced coins
10 ounces Cajun Tasso (or other cooked ham) chopped
1 smoked ham hock (optional)
2 tbls avocado oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbls tomato paste
1 tbls Tony C’s or other Cajun seasoning
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground sage
2-3 tsp Louisiana hot sauce to taste (Tabasco!)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
1 cup cooked white rice for service
Directions
Begin by soaking the beans. If using Rancho Gordo fresh beans, I would recommend 3-4 hours to reduce the overall cooking time. I prefer a little “bite” to my bean, a longer soak will make them even softer.
Begin by adding the oil to a Dutch oven or stockpot and lightly brown the Andouille sausage, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside and allow to drain.
To the pot add the onion, bell pepper and celery, sweating them down until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, an additional 1 minute. Season with half of the Cajun seasoning. Finally, stir in and fully incorporate the tomato paste.
Add in the beans, ham hock (optional), tasso, chicken stock, hot sauce, browned sausage and the remaining seasonings. Stir to fully combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Stir and test the doneness of the beans and taste for any seasoning adjustment. Continue to simmer in 30-minute increments until you’re satisfied with the result. I recommend a total of 2 hours to maintain firmness of the beans.
Serve with some white rice, garnish with some chopped parsley and enjoy an all-time favorite of Louisiana cooking!!
Enjoy Louisiana Real and Rustic cooking, you will fall in love with it. In the words of the late Justin Wilson, “J’vous garantis” or “I gar-roon-tee!”
In case you missed any recipes in this series, check out these other Louisiana Real and Rustic dishes;
Seafood Courtboullion
Boudin Stuffed Quail
Shrimp & Oyster Stuffed Whole Flounder
He soon found out how wrong he was and that a culture obsessed with certain traditions that go back further than anyone could remember, was almost religious in its zeal. Red beans is one such tradition.
So, what is the legend behind this simple love affair with red beans? Some say it started with the tradition of serving ham for Sunday dinners in New Orleans. The leftover ham bone, with a fair amount of clinging meat, was still useful the next day for flavoring in a soup or stew.
Thus, when Monday came and laundry or other chores got in the way of cooking, someone along the way combined the ham bones with red beans and let it cook all day until done. Thus, the tradition began. Other numerous stories tell of origins brought by enslaved peoples or the Acadians who brought it with their cooking traditions from Nova Scotia.
Regardless of its humble beginning, red beans and rice has this engrained love affair with the City’s inhabitants regardless of race, class, age or political persuasion. Sara Roahen, who authored Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table, writes, “Food unites with complete sincerity. It harbors no ulterior motives; its power is irreversible. Red beans and rice is the best example of that ability to unify.”
So, given this tradition and love affair with a simple bean, let’s cook up a pot of Red Beans & Rice!!
Red Beans & Rice
Course. Lunch or Dinner.
Cuisine. Louisiana Cajun-Creole
Makes. 3-4 servings
Takes. 30 minutes prep, 2.5-3 hours cooking time
Ingredients
16 ounces Rancho Gordo Rio Zape Red Beans (or fresh dried red beans of choice)
12 ounces Andouille sausage, thinly sliced coins
10 ounces Cajun Tasso (or other cooked ham) chopped
1 smoked ham hock (optional)
2 tbls avocado oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbls tomato paste
1 tbls Tony C’s or other Cajun seasoning
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground sage
2-3 tsp Louisiana hot sauce to taste (Tabasco!)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
1 cup cooked white rice for service
Directions
Begin by soaking the beans. If using Rancho Gordo fresh beans, I would recommend 3-4 hours to reduce the overall cooking time. I prefer a little “bite” to my bean, a longer soak will make them even softer.
Begin by adding the oil to a Dutch oven or stockpot and lightly brown the Andouille sausage, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside and allow to drain.
To the pot add the onion, bell pepper and celery, sweating them down until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, an additional 1 minute. Season with half of the Cajun seasoning. Finally, stir in and fully incorporate the tomato paste.
Add in the beans, ham hock (optional), tasso, chicken stock, hot sauce, browned sausage and the remaining seasonings. Stir to fully combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Stir and test the doneness of the beans and taste for any seasoning adjustment. Continue to simmer in 30-minute increments until you’re satisfied with the result. I recommend a total of 2 hours to maintain firmness of the beans.
Serve with some white rice, garnish with some chopped parsley and enjoy an all-time favorite of Louisiana cooking!!
Enjoy Louisiana Real and Rustic cooking, you will fall in love with it. In the words of the late Justin Wilson, “J’vous garantis” or “I gar-roon-tee!”
In case you missed any recipes in this series, check out these other Louisiana Real and Rustic dishes;
Seafood Courtboullion
Boudin Stuffed Quail
Shrimp & Oyster Stuffed Whole Flounder
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