Serves a Bunch
This is a recipe with a real history. Back in the sixties, I was partners in a wonderful establishment in Berkeley called "The New Orleans House". It was a traditional Jazz club and restaurant. My partner, an excellent coronet player had put together an excellent band of traditional Jazz musicians who were our house band. Our house specialty was New Orleans Red Beans ‘n’ Rice.
According to legend, the recipe we used, this recipe, had it’s origins with none other than Louis Armstrong himself. Coming from a poor family, a staple in their diet was red
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beans, cheep, and rice, cheaper. The legend goes on that when Louis got his first paying job he brought home a ham hock to throw into the pot. Supposedly every traditional jazz musician great from Bessie Smith and Lou Waters to Turk Murphy to Pat Yankee had a hand in the development of this outstanding recipe, each adding an ingredient and a bit of their own personality. All that may be true or it may be pure oral tradition. What is absolutely true is that this is just about the best recipe |
for New Orleans Red Beans and Rice you are ever likely to eat. So...make a pot, invite over some friends, put on some good Traditional Jazz and enjoy.
The Beans:
1 pound red beans – (about 2 cups)
1 bulb of garlic, unpeeled, just cut it in half
1 large onion, cut in quarters
1 tablespoon pickling spice - (put it in a large tea ball or tie up in cheese cloth)
2 bay leaf
Water
First, no, you don’t have to soak beans before you cook them. That is a myth. Your beans will cook perfectly in about 2 to 2 ½ hours without soaking, and no, pre soaking does not take away the gas, in fact, it increases the chances of gas because pre soaking causes the natural sugars to ferment, thus causing gas. What is essential is that you do not add any salt to the pot until the beans are tender. Wash the beans, and put in a large pot with the rest of the ingredients. Add three cups or more of water for each cup of dry beans. Bring to a boil and boil, uncovered for about ten minutes. Reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer, cover and continue to cook until the beans are tender, about two to two and a half hours.
The Sauce:
Pork butt cut into 1/4" x 1/4" x 2" pieces – (How much? How much do you want? It truly does not matter. You can make it a very meaty dish or with just a whisper of meat. It is also extremely rich and wonderful without one single sliver of meat. I fix it that way all the time. Honest! would I lie to you? )
About 2 tablespoons of Olive oil or drippings - (drippings is traditional, olive oil is healthier)
1 large onion, diced
8 to 10 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
Minced fresh chilies to taste, (this dish is excellent whether it is mild or hotter than hell)
2 stalks of celery, diced
About a cup of sliced mushrooms
3 to 4 fresh ripe tomatoes, diced
1, 6-ounce can of tomato paste
1 tablespoon mixed herbs, (Italian seasoning)
2 to 3 tablespoons of chili powder, - (or to taste)
2 tablespoon sugar, (or to taste)
2 to 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, - (or to taste)
About 2 quarts of beef, chicken or vegetable stock or bouillon – (homemade or commercial)
About 1 cup of frozen cut ocra
1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a heavy pot, like a Dutch oven. Brown the meat, if using, well on all sides. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until golden brown. Add the bell pepper, chilies and celery and continue to sauté until softened. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, stir gently and continue to cook for another five minutes or so. Then add next six ingredients, stir gently to incorporate and bring to a boil, stirring to prevent scorching, then reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and continue to cook until thick and sauce like, probably about forty five minutes to an hour. When this sauce is desired degree of thickness, add the drained okra and chopped parsley and stir gently. Drain the cooked beans and add to the pot with the sauce. Cook only long enough to heat everything through.
The Rice:
Cook 2 cups of long grained white rice by whatever method you prefer. I prefer the Chinese Steamed Rice method.
To Assemble:
Put the rice in a ring around the outside of a large serving dish. Pile the beans and sauce into the center. Garnish with fresh parsley and perhaps a slice of tomato and one of lemon. And now it's time to sit back with a big bowl of good eatin' and listen to some sweet, sweet, New Orleans Jazz.
"A day without rice is a day without life"
Old Cajun Saying
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
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