NOCCA Red Beans and Rice!

This is the red beans and rice recipe I developed for our yearly fund-raising party to benefit the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. It's produced more than $5,000 of funding so far! Those are some great beans.
(Where-to-get directions are for Center City Philadelphia.)

Ingredients:

red beans (kidney beans)
dry: 1 lb.; canned: 6 cups drained beans.(Liquid in canned beans varies. For the ones I used (organic 25 oz. cans from Fresh Fields) it was 100 oz. beans—4 cans.)
onion, 1 large, chopped
green bell pepper, 1 medium, chopped
celery, 4 stalks, chopped
garlic, 5 cloves, minced
ham hock, 1 (This is important. You can get it from most butchers.)
olive oil, 3 Tbsp.
andoullie sausage, ¾ lb., cut into small slices(It’s about three large links. You can get it at Reading Terminal or Fresh Fields (Whole Foods).)
dried thyme, 1 tsp.
bay leaf, 2
Tobasco, 1 tsp.
Worcestershire Sauce, 1 Tbsp.
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, 1 tsp. (I’ll give you this. It really is used in New Orleans. It’s not hard to find, thought. I get it at the Spice Corner in Reading Terminal.

Pot suggestions: Use a Dutch oven or other thick metal pot that distributes heat well. (I love my 14” diameter All-Clad for this.) This is especially important because you have to cook it for 2 hrs. or more, and you don’t want it to have to keep stirring to keep it from burning on the bottom or getting sticky.

Directions

1. Prepare the beans. For canned, drain, rinse, and measure. For dried, soak over night; boil, then simmer for 40 min. or until very tender.


2. In your large pot, add the oil, then the sausage over medium or high heat. Brown the sausage. Pour off excess fat if there is any.


3. Add the vegetables except the garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and very soft. Add garlic and sauté another minute or two.


4. Add beans, heat through, then add the ham hock, and seasonings.


5. Add water to cover (about 5 or 6 cups), bring to a boil and then simmer.


6. Cook for at least two hours. This time is THE critical ingredient. Stir occasionally. Beans should be starting to fall apart or split.


7. Adjust salt to taste.

You can store the beans in the fridge for easily up to four days. They also freeze well. Serve over white rice.