Classic Cajun dish, served over hot rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red kidney beans
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2-3 stalks of celery with leaves, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic, about 5 cloves or so
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1.5 tsp dried oregano
• 0.25 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjusting spicy to taste)
• 3 bay leaves
• 0.5 to 1 lb of smoked sausage (andouille), cut into half-inch slices
• A little dark roux, to thicken as needed
• Baking soda to soak beans, optional
• Salt, to taste

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight with a pinch or two of baking soda. Drain and rinse the beans.
2. Combine onion, celery, bell pepper, seasonings, and beans in a large dutch oven. Bring to a boil with plenty of water.
3. Simmer until beans are nearly tender, perhaps 2 hours.
4. Add sausage and a spoon or two of roux, simmer another 30 minutes or so. Start to make rice.
5. Salt to taste and serve.

Notes

• Baking soda to soak the beans helps them cook evenly at high altitude.
• Serve over hot rice.
• Optional toppings include chopped green onions, grated cheddar, and hot sauce.
• If you don’t have roux (or don’t like the flavor), you can remove about half a cup of beans at the end, mash them thoroughly, then stir them back into the pot to thicken.
• Chop the veggies as big or small as you’d like - I tend to finely dice them to let them melt into the sauce. Bigger pieces are delicious too.