Start 2015 with a dynamic recipe for red beans and rice!

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound smoked ham hocks
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 10 cups chicken stock, or water
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook ham, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers chopped with your Ulu knife to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage,(and ham hocks,) and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage (and ham hocks,) about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001