Spicy Red Beans and Rice

Anita Harris's Note:

These beans smell so good when they are cooking and the results are a tasty, New Orleans style red beans and rice. I have tried several recipes but this one is easier than the others I've tried with an excellent result. Serve with cornbread or corn muffins and your meal is complete. Recipe is from Taste of Home magazine.

• Total Time: 4 hrs
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 lb dried red kidney beans
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 quart water
• 1 large smoked ham hock
• 2 -3 teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ cups chopped celery
• 1 ½ cups chopped onions
• 2 fresh garlic cloves , minced
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• hot cooked rice

Directions:

1. Sort and rinse beans.
2. In a large Dutch oven or kettle, place all ingredients except parsley and rice.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered for 3-4 hours or until beans are tender.
4. Stir occasionally, adding water as needed to make a thick gravy.
5. Just before serving remove bay leaves and stir in parsley.
6. Serve over rice.

Reviews

[papergoddess]

This was just what I was looking for. EXCELLENT!!! Easy, cheap, satisfying, but most of all, it had the taste I was looking for. This will be a favorite here, I can tell you. The next time I make it, I will add some chopped cooked ham if I serve it as a main dish (My family are big meat- eaters). But as a side dish it is PERFECT as is. I added 1/2 tsp cayenne, since my family is not big on "hot". I served it over brown rice, just because I like how chewy it is. There were no left-overs. I tried to take a picture to post, but my batteries were dead. Next time I will. EDIT: I've made this recipe many times now. I've also made it in the crockpot. If you do, soak the beans overnight, then cook it on HIGH all day.

[Renate]

This turned out to be a great "no time to cook" meal. After dropping everything into the crock pot and leaving for work, I was welcomed home with a very pleasant aroma. While the rice boiled, I stirred the beans, which had thickened nicely and added the parsley. What a treat. This one will definitively be repeated. Hubby says the "heat" was just right. The leftovers went to work with him the next day, and I've passed on the recipe to two co-workers along with recipezaar's web address.

[Blue Bustard]

This is the ol' Chevy truck of Southern country vittles. Make the recipe as written or substitute your heart out. 'Tis excellent as written, but here's a couple of alternatives. I like to grind three or four dried cayenne peppers between my palms directly over the pot. Any sort of fresh peppers chopped up do well. Trying to eat the meat from a ham hock is fine if you are broke. The human stomach is perfectly suited to the exercise. Since I am not destitute, I wrap the ham hock(s) in cheesecloth and toss them with the bay leaves. If you want pieces of meat, use large chunks of ham and shred them at the end down to bite size. Or country style ribs. Or whatever you have laying around. But don't pass on the ham hocks. (Bacon and liquid smoke will work, kinda.) I make it very watery since the leftovers soak up a lot of liquid overnight. Put some of the beans in a blender to thicken.