NOLA style Red Beans, Sausage and Rice.
There are legends surrounding Red Beans and Rice. The stories became real to me when I lived in NOLA from 1984 to '88. Monday was always Red Beans and Rice day. From Mom and Pop lunch shacks to the high end French Quarter Restaurants Red Beans were, and still are, on the Monday menu.
Monday was "wash day". Sunday night Mama would clean and soak dried red kidney beans. Early Monday morning she would dice onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. The Trinity (onion, celery and bell pepper) and "de pope" (garlic) would be sauteed in pork lard. Andouille and Tasso would be added. Not allowed to fry, just sweat. Soaked drained beans were added along with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil uncovered. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover. Mama would leave the beans cooking on a very low fire all day while she did laundry. She would occasionally give the beans a stir but mostly ignored them while she did laundry. In those days it was washing in a wringer washer (mangler), hanging them out to dry then starching and ironing.
By evening the beans were cooked. Mama would take some of the beans out of the pot and smash them to a paste. Returned the paste to the pot. Added additional seasoning, cooked a pot of rice and dinner was served. Corn bread cooked in a cast iron skillet was a traditional side. Maybe a slaw or cooked greens.
So my recipe is a twist on NOLA Red Beans, Sausage and rice.
Beans are cooking.
Recipe - NOLA Style Red Beans, Sausage and Rice
Beans are still cooking. Smells soooo good.
