Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 lb small red beans or light red kidneys, picked of debris, and soaked overnight

• 2 cups onion, diced

• 1 cup bell pepper, diced

• 1 cup celery, diced

• 1 tbsp garlic, minced

• 2 tsp thyme

• 2 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 tsp Louisiana-style hot sauce (Crystal, Louisiana brand, or Tabasco)

• 2-3 bay leaves

• 1 lb smoked sausage, cut into ~1/4in coins

• 2 ham hocks

• ~2 quarts water

Directions:

1. Sort beans and remove any debris.  Rinse and soak overnight

2. In a dutch oven, sweat the onion, bell peppers, and celery with a pinch of salt over medium heat until translucent.

3. Add garlic, saute 1 minute more

4. Add 1q of water to deglaze, stir. 

5. Add thyme, black pepper, bay leaves, ham hocks, hot sauce, beans, sausage, and the rest of the water or until its about an inch above the beans

6. Simmer 2-4 hours until beans reach desired consistency.  Mash up beans with the back of a spoon near the end of cooking to speed this along. Remove ham hocks.

7. Serve over rice. Top with all or any of scallions, chili powder, more sausage, hot sauce. Corn bread is nice on the side as well.