Red Beans and Rice...

Red Beans and Rice
2 Tbsp butter/oil/EVOO

Tbsp Creole Seasoning

1 Cup Onion chopped

1/2 Cup Red Bell Pepper chopped or green

1/2 Cup Celery Chopped

2 Cup Andouille Sausage Cubed

1/2 lb. Small Red Beans (soaked overnight or for at least a few hours)

2 Tbsp Fresh Garlic Minced

2 Smoked Ham hock

1 package of salty ham

8 Cups Chicken Stock (You could certainly use water)...I actually used water because it is less salty...

3 Fresh Bay Leaves

A bundle of fresh Thyme2 ..or if u dont have fresh ones then used dry ones...that is what I used...1 teaspoon...

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp Crystal Hot sauce...u also need this at the end when u are serving...

(1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce...u can..I dont like it with tomato sauce)

1 Tbsp Italian Parsley

1 teaspoon of sugar

Finely Chopped1/4 Cup Green Onions

Mix together the Holy Trinity (Onions, Celery, Bell Pepper). Drain the beans.Melt the oil/butter over medium heat.Add 1/2 of the Holy Trinity, 1 Tbsp of the Creole Seasoning (or tony) and the Andouille, turn the heat to medium high. Cook this for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to get some color.Add the beans and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.Add the Chicken Stock or Water, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Thyme, Ham hock the remaining Trinity and Creole Seasoning. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let this simmer for 4 Hours. The first hour is low maintenance; an occasional stir and making sure the beans are covered with liquid. The second hour, you want to check back a little more often, the beans will really start to absorb some liquid and you don’t want them to stick.
Remove the Ham hock, trim away any meat and add it back to the pot.After the beans have cooked for two hours, add the Tomato Sauce optional... the Parsley and 1/2 of the Green Onions. Make your Rice. Cook the beans for another half hour.

*Place the link(s) of Chaurice or sausage in a medium sized cast iron skillet. Cover half way with water and bring to a boil. Turn often, as the water evaporates until all that is left in the pan is fat from the sausage. Brown the casings of the sausage in the remaining fat, serve hot...strictly optional...too.....

To Serve:Remove the Bay Leaves. Mound a half cup of Rice each, onto two serving plates, Cover with a generous helping of the Red Beans, Garnish with the remaining Green Onions. and of course the hot sauce....

What I do at the end is add 2 tablespoon of butter to my red beans...it makes it so creamy...I also add hot sausage links to my red beans also but I dont cook it until about 1 hour before I turn the stove off...please make sure to keep an eye on the red beans because u dont want them to burn...so keep adding water is u have too...and keep on low heat...

This recipe is to my taste...I usually add all kinds of things...so ...please use the concept of the recipe and make it to ur taste...I hope u enjoy...