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     Title: Satchmo's Autograph * New Orleans Red Beans & Rice
Categories: Pork, Vegetables, Rice, Beans
     Yield: 4 Servings

   1/2 lb Dried red (kidney) beans or
          +=OR=+
    30 oz (2 cans) red kidney beans
     4 sl Bacon
     1 c  Chopped, cured ham
   1/2 lb Andouille sausage; 1/2" pcs
     1    Ham bone at least 4" long
          +=OR=+
     1    Ham hock (preferred - UDD)
     2 md Onions; chopped
     1 lg Bell pepper
   1/2 c  Chopped celery
     2 cl Garlic; pressed
     1 ts Dried thyme
   1/2 ts (ea) salt & ground pepper
     1    Bay leaf
     3    Roma tomatoes; chopped
     2 c  Chicken or pork broth
     1 tb Red wine vinegar, Balsamic
          - vinegar, or lemon juice
     1 ts Trappey's hot sauce
 1 1/2 c  Uncooked white rice

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   1/4 c  Chopped green onions
     2 lg Jalapenos; seeded, chopped
     2    Roma tomatoes; 1/2" chunks

 * the estimable Louis Armstrong signed his autograph "Red
 beans and ricely yours".

 About the meats. None of these quantities are set in
 concrete. You can add more of any, or leave any out. But
 try to get a ham hock. -- UDD

 About the bacon. Although it adds flavor, it is here
 mainly for the oil needed to brown the meats and cook the
 trinity. You can skip it and just use 2 tb of butter or
 lard. If you do skip the bacon, use a ham hock instead of
 the ham bone so you can get that smoky flavor.

 About the sausage. There is no exact substitute for good andouille,
 so make a serious effort to find some. If you can't use a smoked
 sausage such as kielbasa and add a little more hot sauce.

 About the cured ham. You can buy a cured ham steak and chop it up
 or just use leftover ham from Easter.

 OPTIONAL SEASONINGS: Some folks like to add cumin and/or
 chilli spice, parsley is common, and cilantro is often
 used.

 Decide which you will use. If you plan to use dried beans,
 follow the instructions there for soaking them. Don't
 discard the soaking liquid. It's got good stuff in it. Set
 both the beans and the liquid aside.

 In a 4 qt pot, cook the bacon over medium high heat. Just
 before it is crispy, add the sausage and ham, and brown
 them. Add the onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, bay
 leaf, thyme, salt, and black pepper & stir occasionally
 until the vegetables are limp, scraping all the brown bits
 off the bottom of the pan. Add 2 cups of the bean soaking
 water, the tomatoes, broth, vinegar, hot sauce, bacon,
 beans, and the ham bone or ham hock. Crank up the heat,
 bring everything to a boil and back it down to a simmer.
 Let it simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender,
 about 2-3 hours. If it gets too thick, add some of the
 water drained from the beans, or add broth, or just plain
 water.

 After about 2-3 hours, when the beans are tender, and most
 of the liquid has been absorbed, with a ladle or a large
 spoon, mash about 20% of the beans against the bottom or
 side of the pot. Remove the bay leaves and pork bones and
 toss them. Taste and adjust the salt, vinegar, and hot
 sauce to your preference. Turn to low. If you're using
 fresh chopped peppers, now's the time to add them.

 Spoon the rice in the center of a plate, top with the
 stew, and garnish.

 SERVE WITH: A green salad, baguette, and Abita beer from
 New Orleans.

 Makes: Enough to serve 4 people about 2 cups each.

 Notes: The beans should soak at least 6 hours or you can
 let them go up to 12 hours.

 Everything else takes about 40 minutes to prepare and 3
 hours to cook.

 If there is any left over, you can just dump the beans and
 rice together in the fridge. When it is time to reheat you
 can refry with a little oil in a pan, and add a little
 water. I like to brighten the flavors with fresh peppers,
 tomato, onion, and maybe a splash of lemon juice.

 From: http://www.amazingribs.com

 Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen

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