Red Beans and Rice with Egg Makes 8 portions.
Ingredients
RED BEANS
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups medium-dice yellow onion
2 cups medium-dice green pepper
1 cup medium-dice celery
1 tablespoon McCormick’s Cajun Seasoning
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 quart canned tomatoes, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart cooked kidney beans
2 teaspoons Cholula hot sauce
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups ham, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 links Andouille sausage, sliced
SAFFRON RICE PILAF
2 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 3/4 cups water
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Pinch cayenne or dash Cholula
Pinch salt
Pinch saffron
Freshly ground pepper
TO FINISH
8 eggs 3 tablespoons butter 1/4
cup finely sliced scallions
Directions
For the red beans: In a gallon pot, warm the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions, green pepper and celery and a pinch of the Cajun seasoning. Toss to coat in the oil, and sauté 10 minutes until soft and lightly colored.
Add the garlic, cook 1 minute. Add the tomato, chicken broth, kidney beans, another pinch of Cajun seasoning, half the Cholula and Worcestershire sauce and the ham. Turn heat to low and simmer the red beans for about one hour, stirring occasionally, or until thick. Add the sausage, and cook another 10 minutes.
Add the remaining Cajun seasoning, Cholula and Worcestershire, cool and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
For the saffron rice pilaf: Place the uncooked rice in a small bowl and run cold water over the rice until the water runs clear. (This will yield fluffy, separate grains of rice). Drain well in a colander.
In a heavy bottomed 2-quart pot, heat the oil and butter over medium low heat. Add the onions and toss to coat with the fat. Cook the onions until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute without allowing it to brown.
Add the rice and stir to coat with the fat. Add the water, chicken broth, bay leaf, cayenne or Cholula, salt, and saffron. Bring the rice to a boil, turn the heat to low and cover. Cook the rice about 13 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for about 4 minutes. Remove the cover. If you’re going to serve the rice immediately, gently fold in the pepper and additional salt if necessary. If you’re going to freeze or otherwise reheat the rice, turn it out onto a large sheet pan and fluff the rice with two forks. Cool and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
To finish: To assemble the dish, rewarm beans and rice in a microwave or low oven.
Break the eggs into a few small bowls (this can be done up to three hours ahead of time). Heat two nonstick pans over medium low heat and divide the butter between them. When the butter starts to melt but before it browns, slide the eggs into the two pans, turn down to low, and gently cook, spooning the butter over the yolk, just until set. Season with salt and pepper. Slide the eggs onto two plates. To separate the eggs, which may have cooked together, use a round cookie cutter to cut out the yolk along with a little bit of the white (I always do this when I cook a fried egg, since I much prefer the yolk to the white).
Divide the beans and rice between 8 bowls or serve in a large platter topped with the eggs and a little bit of scallion on top. Serve immediately.
