It’s Cajun weekend here at the Smedleys. Could you guess? 😉 Last night we had Shrimp Etouffee (see previous recipe) which was so awesome. Tonight it was Red Beans and Rice. If you know me, you know that I’ve avoided this for a very long time. Not that there’s anything wrong with the dish, mind you. It’s a fabulous dish and tastes really good. I just happened to get some bad sausage the last time I made it, and… well, you know how that turns out. 😦 Anyhow, it’s safe to say I’ve avoided sausage at all costs ever since, until tonight.
I knew I couldn’t avoid it forever, so I decided to give it one more try. It came out really tasty (I have to admit, I only ate one piece of the sausage), and the Hubs loved it. I made homemade cornbread to go with it (beans and cornbread just go together!). I’ll post the recipe for that too. So give this a try – check the date on your sausage when you buy it, check the color and when you take it out of the package smell it to make sure it smells okay. (These are good policies to follow for all meats.) I think you’ll love it.
2 tbs vegetable oil (I use Smart Balance)
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
1 pound ham, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 ounces smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices (I use Andouille)
3 tbs chopped garlic
1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over, soaked overnight and drained (or you can cover them in water with a tsp of baking soda and let them soak 4-5 hours. Rinse well before using)
8-10 cups water
Steamed rice
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan (I use a dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes.
Add the bay leaves, ham and sausage and saute for 5-6 minutes.
Add the beans, garlic, and enough water to cover the contents in the pot.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours. Add more water if the mixture becomes dry and thick.
2. (This step is part of the recipe, however, I skip it) Use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side of the pot. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours or until the mixture is creamy and the beans are soft. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy, but not watery.
3. Remove the bay leaves (and discard) and serve over rice in a bowl.
Cornbread Recipe
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups corn meal
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
Beat the eggs well with a fork. Add the milk and mix well. Add the egg mixture to the flour and cornmeal in a large bowl. Add the sugar and oil. Mix well. It should be creamy and pourable. If it’s too thick, add 2 more tablespoons milk and mix well. Spray a round cake pan with cooking or baking spray. Pour the cornbread mixture into the pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Slice while hot and top with butter.
Rolling in the Dough 