“Time is the key to making successful red beans: they need to cook slowly and well,” writes chef John Besh in his new cookbook, “My New Orleans: The Cookbook.” Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
2 onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 pound dried red kidney beans
2 smoked ham hocks
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, hot red pepper sauce
1 cup rice, cooked to package directions
Directions
Heat bacon fat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the onions, bell peppers and celery. Cook until onions become translucent, 5 minutes. Add the kidney beans, ham hocks, bay leaves and red pepper; add water to cover by 2 inches. Heat the water to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary to keep the beans covered by an inch water, until beans begin to fall apart.
Remove the ham hocks; cut the meat from the bones. Chop; return meat to Dutch oven. Stir in the green onions; season with salt, black pepper and pepper sauce. Serve with white rice.
Per serving: 319 calories, 13 percent of calories from fat, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 4mg cholesterol, 54g carbohydrates, 18g protein, 409mg sodium, 19g fiber
