We moved down here to northern Louisiana in June. We weren't particularly excited about the move. Having lived the last few years in the Denver area, we were spoiled in so many ways. When we found out we were Louisiana-bound, others often reassured us that this area had some terrific food. I figured if we were going to live here against our will, I was going to make the best of it in that respect. Upon moving here, I quickly realized that there are not many nearby restaurants that meet the lofty Louisiana reputation. Must be better to be closer to New Orleans. Well a co-worker told me about the website www.nolacuisine.com. I HIGHLY suggest you check it out! Especially if you have any interest in AUTHENTIC New Orleans dishes. We've tried a few recipes...most notably, the Shrimp Etouffe, the Chicken Bon Femme, and the red beans and rice.
They all turned out pretty tasty. A lot of time/effort goes into these dishes, but they are so worth it. The red beans and rice we had today was fantastic. I feel like we could sell this for money. It's really not that hard, it just takes time (about 3 hours total) and most of that time is spent letting the beans simmer and occasionally stirring them. This time, we left out the Tasso. I felt it was a little overpowering the first time we cooked it. Tasso is dried, smoked pork. Think smoked salmon, but with pork. We did not make it; we bought it at a local joint that makes it. It's very good with cheese and crackers, and frankly, not bad with the red beans. We just left it out this time.
The creole rice recipe is simple and works just perfectly with the red beans. Definitely use this recipe rather than making it another way (instant, rice cooker, etc.)
Connor says: Mom and Dad won't let me have any because it's way too spicy for a 1-year-old. I had some of the rice and some chicken instead. I insisted on trying some beans afterward, and I actually liked them. Then I decided I wanted some water in a bowl.
Red Beans & Rice Recipe
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp Creole Seasoning
1 Cup Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 Cup Celery, Chopped
1 Cup Andouille Sausage, Cubed
1 Cup Tasso, Cubed
1/2 lb. Small Red Beans (soaked overnight or for at least a few hours)
1 Tbsp Fresh Garlic, Minced
3 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock (You could certainly use water)
3 Fresh Bay Leaves
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar (When I don’t use Pickle Meat, I add a little vinegar because I like the flavor it lends. Pickle Meat makes wonderful Red Beans by the way; recipe forthcoming.)
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce (I learned this from Louis Armstrong’s Recipe)
1 Tbsp Italian Parsley, Finely Chopped
1/4 Cup Green Onions, thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 Recipe Creole Boiled Rice
Mix together the Holy Trinity (Onions, Celery, Bell Pepper). Drain the beans.
Melt the butter over medium heat.
Add 1/2 of the Holy Trinity, 1 Tbsp of the Creole Seasoning, Tasso, and the Andouille, turn the heat to medium high. Cook this for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to get some color.
Add the beans and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
Add the Chicken Stock or Water, Garlic, Bay Leaves, the remaining Trinity and Creole Seasoning. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let this simmer for 2- 2 1/2 Hours. The first hour is low maintenance; an occasional stir and making sure the beans are covered with liquid. The second hour, you want to check back a little more often, the beans will really start to absorb some liquid and you don’t want them to stick.
Remove the Bay Leaves. Mound a half cup of Rice each, onto two serving plates, Cover with a generous helping of the Red Beans, Garnish with the remaining Green Onions. Make sure there is a bottle of hot sauce on the table. Perfect compliments to this meal are a simple vinaigrette salad, Good Crusty French Bread, and your favorite Ice Cold Beer.
Serves 2-3
Creole Boiled Rice
1 quart of Boiling Water
1 Cup Basmati or Jasmine Rice
2 Fresh Bay Leaves (If you have to use dried, do so, but damn….. the fresh are so much better!)
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter (Optional)
Bring the water to a boil with the Bay leaves. Add the salt. Add the rice, stir to make sure the rice doesn’t stick! Do Not Stir again! If you agitate the rice too much, it gets sticky! So give it a good stir, when it comes back to a boil, partially cover it. Cook for about 11 minutes, but taste it, don’t trust me! It should have some bite, but a crunch is bad, Call it Al Dente, like I said, think Pasta. When it’s tender, drain it, pluck out the bay leaves, and if desired, place it into a 400 degree oven with the butter patted on top for about 15 minutes; this helps dry the rice out.
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