Cajun Red Beans & Rice

I know I said I would post this some time ago, but what can I say? I've been busy....I know you all know what I mean. The holidays, hubby home from Iraq, so much going on! But at last, here it is...Cajun Red Beans & Rice.





Starting with 1 pound or dry, red beans, sort through them, tossing out any bad beans or stones.


Put the beans in a colander/strainer and wash them with water, and set aside.


Cut up 1/2 pound of Bacon, and 1 pound of Andouille Sausage, into about 1/2 inch pieces.


In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the meat with about 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, until the bacon is cooked but not quite crispy.


While it is cooking, dice up an Onion, a green Bell Pepper and a stalk of Celery.


As well as 6 cloves of Garlic.


Add those to the pot, and cook until the onions are tender.


Now comes the seasoning...Add in 1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce, 2 Bay Leaves, 2 teaspoons Thyme, 2 teaspoons Tobasco sauce, and a Tablespoon of Parsley.


You are also going to stir in 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar


And now some cajun seasoning. If you have a tried and true cajun seasoning that you like, use 3 teaspoons of it. If you don't, here's a quick mix:

1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper



**NOTE: you can mix a larger quantity of this to store for future use in other recipes. Simply use 2 Tablespoons of the Salt, and a Tablespoon each of the rest of the spices. Combine and store in a jar.

And for the liquid...pour in 11 cups of water.


And finally, the beans!


Give this all a stir, and then bring it to a rolling boil.


Reduce the heat to a low-medium, and place a lid on the pot, slightly ajar. This will cook 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Stir it every half hour or so.

When they are done, ladle 3 cups of the mixture into a food processor.


Puree it...


And add it back to the pot. Cook it a couple more minutes, and then serve with hot rice.



Enjoy!


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