Red Beans And Rice

• 7 cups water
• 16 oz. dried small red beans *
• 16 oz. andouille sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. Creole seasoning **
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 ham hock

Soak the beans in water overnight. Discard floaters, drain the beans in a colander and add to 7 cups of fresh water in a 4 quart or larger stock pot or slow cooker.

Slice the andouille sausage into quarter inch rounds. Brown the sausage in a skillet, then transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to the pot with the beans, retaining the oil from the sausage.

Sauté the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic together in the skillet, using the oil from the sausage. Add to the pot with the beans and sausage.

Add the Creole seasoning, black pepper and the ham hock to the pot. Cover the pot and simmer for two to three hours, or cook for six to eight hours covered if using a slow cooker. Crack the lid for the last hour or so (2 hours if using a slow cooker) to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken.

Serve over rice, cooked separately.

* the correct beans for this recipe are called "small red beans" or "Mexican beans". They are not pinto beans or red kidney beans. They do resemble red kidney beans, but they are smaller, and they hold their shape with prolonged cooking, while remaining very creamy in texture.

** Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning^® works great in this recipe. If anyone likes their red beans and rice a little spicier than most, they can use this seasoning at the table as well.