2/22 Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice
In honor of Mardi Gras I wanted to share a recipe for Louisiana style Red Beans and Rice. Here is a slice of Mardi Gras info from History.com to whet your appetite.
On Mardi Gras in 1827, a group of students donned colorful costumes and danced through the streets of New Orleans, emulating the revelry they’d observed while visiting Paris. Ten years later, the first recorded New Orleans Mardi Gras parade took place, a tradition that continues to this day. In 1857, a secret society of New Orleans businessmen called the Mistick Krewe of Comus organized a torch-lit Mardi Gras procession with marching bands and rolling floats, setting the tone for future public celebrations in the city. Since then, krewes have remained a fixture of the Carnival scene throughout Louisiana. Other lasting customs include throwing beads and other trinkets, wearing masks, decorating floats and eating King Cake. Louisiana is the only state in which Mardi Gras is a legal holiday.
I also learned that the word carnival is derived form the Latin word carnelevarium, which means to remove meat. So lets do that. Here is a recipe for a meaty, hearty, porky red beans and rice that are completely body and soul loving. We started with dried beans which amps up the flavor ten fold, but also means they take several hours to cook. This is a low and slow kind of meal but if you need to sub with canned beans in order to create the dish on a busy evening…do it. Just remember to rinse and drain your canned beans.
Photo By: S. Duquet
Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice
Inspired by Emeril Lagasse and re-imagined by: S. Boulton
Ingredients
- 1/2 C finely chopped shallot
- 1/2 C chopped celery
- 1 C chopped bell pepper
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fennel seed (run knife thru seeds several times to mince or use ground)
- 3/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 6 C red beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
- 6 C no-chikn broth or low sodiumveggie broth
- 2 C water (as needed)
- 4 cups cooked of your favorite rice, we used 1 1/2 C basmati and 1/2 C black rice
- Crusty loaf bread
Make it Happen:
In a stock pot, saute the shallot, celery, pepper and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Add black pepper, thyme, fennel and cayenne and saute for another minute. Add the apple cider vinegar and beans. Cover the mixture with the stock . Bring up to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the bean mixture for 3 hours or until the beans are tender.
Photo By: S. Duquet
Add water as needed during cooking to keep beans immersed in broth. Ladle atop rice and serve. Makes 8 servings.
I enjoyed my red beans and rice with a dollop of hot sauce and a chunk of crusty bread. It was warming and celebratory just like a carnival of good taste.
Have a delicious day.
Tags: compassionate eating, dairy free, E2 friendly recipes, exploits of a vegan wannabe, going veg, oil free recipe, plant strong recipe, red beans and rice recipe, vegan Carnival recipes, vegan entree, vegan experience, vegan Mardi Gras recipes, vegan wannabe, vegetarian recipe
