Red Beans & Rice with Kielbasa

Nothing beats a one-pot meal. Not only is cleanup easier, but all the flavors meld together while simmering, creating one sensational dinner. In New Orleans, red beans & rice is a Monday tradition. Monday used to be the traditional “wash day,” so women were able to attend to their laundry while red beans cooked on the stove-top all day, seasoned with the leftover hambone from Sunday. Of course, Monday is no longer wash day and Sunday is no longer ham day; yet Monday still remains red beans & rice day in many homes & restaurants in New Orleans. This recipe doesn’t require cooking beans all day or serving ham the day before. It’s simple enough to prepare any night of the week and the addition of kielbasa, instead of Andouille sausage, makes it less spicy and more family-friendly. Despite its easier and more modern preparation, this one-pot wonder does not sacrifice on taste.

I prefer to use Emeril’s Essence (home-made) as a seasoning. I think it packs more of a punch than store bought Creole seasonings. If you’re concerned about the heat from the cayenne pepper, Emeril’s recipe for Baby Bam (a kid-friendly version), has a similar Creole blend of spices, but without the red pepper and makes a perfect substitution when less heat is desired. My pantry is literally full of home-made spice mixes. I just think they taste better. I put them in air-tight containers and label them with the date made, so I always have the spice blend I need, when I need it. (I've included both recipes below for your convenience.)

Chop the green pepper, onion and celery. Slice the kielbasa.

Add olive oil and butter to dutch oven, along with kielbasa slices. Cook over medium high heat until browned, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium and add chopped green pepper, onion and celery. Cook until vegetables are softened, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; scraping up browned bits from sausage when stirring.

 

Reduce heat to medium high. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a rapid boil.

Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Cornbread makes an excellent accompaniment to this “stove-top” casserole!

RED BEANS & RICE WITH KIELBASA
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 packages (about 13 ounces each) kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 small  onion, chopped              
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 can (14 ounces) dark red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (14 ounces) light red kidney beans, drained
• 32 ounces chicken stock (or broth)
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons Creole seasoning (preferably Emeril's Essence made from scratch)
• 2 teaspoons TABASCO® brand Original Red Sauce, or other Louisiana hot sauce
• 2 cups long grain converted rice, uncooked
• 2 small bay leaves

           
DIRECTIONS:

1. In dutch oven, add olive oil, butter and kielbasa slices. Cook over medium high heat until browned,
    stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add vegetables. Cook until vegetables are softened, 7 to 10 minutes,
    stirring occasionally (and scraping up browned bits from sausage).
3. Increase heat to medium high. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a rapid boil.
4. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes, or until liquid is
    absorbed.
5. Remove bay leaves before serving. Cornbread makes an excellent accompaniment to this "stove top"
    casserole.


 
EMERIL’S ESSENCE
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.




EMERIL’S BABY BAM
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Yield: About 3/4 cup