GMA Recipe: Red Beans and Rice

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Red Beans and Rice
From chef and author Emeril Lagasse
February 28, 2006

In honor of Mardi Gras, Emeril Lagasse stopped by Good Morning America to prepare some delicious New Orleans foods. Emeril's recipe for red beans and rice will provide the perfect Creole side dish to a Cajun dinner.

Ingredients

1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over

3 tablespoons bacon grease

1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

3/4 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound smoked ham hocks

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

10 cups chicken stock or water

4 cups cooked white rice

1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot, and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for eight hours or overnight. Drain and set aside. In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about four minutes.

Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about four minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about two hours. If the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 minutes to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Yield: 8 servings

Recipe copyright 2006, Emeril Lagasse, adapted from Emeril's Potluck: Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude