Red Beans and Rice Recipes

This is Louis Armstrong’s Recipe:

• 1 pound kidney beans (sorted, rinsed and soaked, see below)
• 1/2 pound salt pork (slab bacon may be used if preferred)
• 1 small can of tomato sauce (if desired)
• 6 small ham hocks or one smoked pork butt
• 2 onions, diced
• 1/4 green (bell) pepper
• 5 tiny or 2 medium dried peppers
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• salt to taste

Wash beans thoroughly, then soak overnight in cold water. Be sure to cover beans. To cook, pour water off beans, add fresh water to cover. Add salt pork or bacon and let come to a boil over full flame in (5-quart) covered pot [or dutch oven]. Turn flame down to slightly higher than low and let cook 1 1/2 hours. Add diced onions, bell pepper, garlic, dried peppers, and salt.

Cook 3 hours.

Add tomato sauce and cook 11/2 hours more, adding water whenever necessary. Beans and meat should always be just covered with liquid, never dry.

Serve over cooked rice, with a fresh pot of Community Coffee, and Spicy Pepper Cornbread (recipe in next post).

Dutch Ovens:

• Le Creuset 7.25-qt. Round Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Chestnut
• Calphalon 6-qt. Everyday Nonstick Dutch Oven

Reference article website: Spice up red beans and rice with fresh additions by Chef Lou Rice

This is a Creole recipe with a Cajun flare. It uses kidney beans instead of red beans, but notice tomato sauce is an ingredient. Tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce often immediately distinguish a Creole recipe from a Cajun recipe.