Category: Main Dishes

Red Beans and Rice

We ate a lot of beans when I was a kid.  Baked beans almost every week in the winter, bean soup at least once a month, and bean salads when Mom found a new recipe in Woman’s Day.  In the summer we took canned beans along on picnics.

But I never tasted red beans and rice until long after I had left home.  My introduction to this creole staple was on a trip to New Orleans and after about two spoonfuls I was hooked.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of recipes for red beans and rice.  I have enjoyed versions in Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee, but the best ones have all been in Louisiana.  Some recipes call for andouille sausage or ham in addition to the smoked hock, and some even add shrimp, but they all taste good.

Food historians tell us that the recipe for red beans and rice was probably brought to New Orleans from the island of Hispaniola by slaves of French planters during a slave rebellion in Haiti.  In any case, a pot of red beans slowly simmered with a smoked pork hock, onions and peppers and ladled over a serving of fluffy white rice is a wonderful example of comfort food.   Here is my recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups dried small red beans
2 – 3 quarts water
1 meaty smoked ham hock
1 large or 2 medium onions
1 green bell pepper (3 inches in diameter)
2 or 3 stalks celery
4 bay leaves
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
4 or 5 green onions
Salt and pepper
Chicken and/or beef bouillon if needed
White rice, salt and water

PROCEDURE:

Wash the beans in a pot, drain in a colander and pick out the bad ones or gravel that you sometimes find.  Put the beans and pork hock in a Dutch oven or soup kettle that will hold at least 4 quarts.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Peel and chop the onion.  You should have about 2 cups to add to the simmering beans.  Add them along with the bay leaves, thyme, hot sauce and about 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper.

The beans should simmer at least 3 hours.  Stir the beans occasionally and add water if necessary.  About an hour before serving the beans, remove the top, seeds and membrane from the pepper, and wash and clean the celery.  Chop the pepper and celery into 1/2 inch pieces and add them to the beans.  Bring back to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the pork hock and allow it to cool enough to handle comfortably.  Separate the meat from the bone, fat and skin, chop into bite-sized pieces and return the meat to the beans.  Clean and chop the green onions into about 1/4 inch pieces and add them to the pot.

Simmer a few minutes, then taste the beans and broth.  At this point, you may want to add salt or a bouillon cube or two along with some more hot sauce and black pepper to adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Prepare the rice according to the directions on the package and serve the beans over the rice in shallow bowls.  A green salad and some good bread makes this dish into a fine meal.

NOTE:  I sometimes add some slices of smoked sausage along with the meat from the ham hock.  You might want to offer the hot sauce to guests who like a spicier dish.  For traditional New Orleans beans and rice you can mash some of the beans with a wooden spoon to make a creamier sauce, but I like it just the way it is.  It’s your choice.

White Chicken Chili

I was introduced to white chicken chili by our daughter-in-law at a wonderful little restaurant called Le The in Hudson, Wisconsin.  Le The has closed its doors, but I will never forget their outstanding service and food.

When I told my wife about the chili, she said “That sounds good,” and so I began experimenting with various recipes until I came up with the following.  It makes 12 to 14 generous servings, but leftovers can be warmed and served a day later or frozen and brought out in a few weeks for a simple lunch or dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (1 lb.) dried navy or great northern beans
1 large onion (3 1/2 to 4” in diameter)
1 stick (1/4 lb.) + 2 T butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth (I use two 14 1/2 ounce cans + 1/2 cup water)
2 cups half-and-half
1 tsp. Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 T  chili powder
1 heaping tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 – 3/4 tsp. white pepper
2 four ounce cans diced green chilies
1/2 small jalapeño pepper or 1/4 small habanero pepper (optional)
5 or 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 – 3 lbs.)
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/16 tsp. dried tarragon (a large pinch)
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup sour cream

PROCEDURE:

Rinse and pick over the beans in a colander and place in a large bowl or kettle.  Cover with cold water to about 2 inches above beans and soak overnight.  Drain beans and place in a 6 to 8 quart kettle covered by about 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 60 to 70 minutes until tender but not mushy.  Drain in a colander and discard the water.

Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan.  Barely cover them with water, and add the bouillon cube and tarragon.   Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the breasts slowly about 9 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow the breasts to finish poaching for another 8 or 9 minutes.  Remove them from the liquid, let them cool on a platter and cut them into 1/2” cubes.  Save the poaching liquid to thin the chili if necessary.

While the chicken is cooking, remove the dry husk of the onion and chop it finely.  Melt 2 T butter in an 8 or 10 inch skillet and cook onion over low heat until translucent but not browned.

If you decide to include the fresh pepper, discard the seeds and stem from the jalapeño or habanero and chop very it finely.  Be sure to wear gloves when chopping hot peppers.

In a 6 to 8 quart kettle, melt the stick of butter over low to moderate heat and stir in the flour.  Stir constantly for 3 or 4 minutes using a wooden spoon or whisk to make a smooth roux.  Do not brown.  Stir in the cooked onions, then gradually the chicken broth and finally the half-and-half.  Stir or whisk constantly while bringing to a boil.

Reduce the heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring about once a minute.  Keep the heat as low as possible to avoid scorching the roux.  Add the Tabasco or hot sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, white pepper, diced chilies and the optional chopped jalapeño or habanero pepper.  Stir well and remove the mixture from heat.

Put the drained beans in a 10 – 12 quart kettle.  Stir in the mixture and the chicken and bring just to simmer, stirring often to avoid scorching the chili.  Add some of the reserved poaching liquid to thin the mixture if it is too thick.

Grate the cheese and stir it into the mixture.  Simmer for 20 minutes and stir in the sour cream. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.   If it seems too spicy, you can add a bit more shredded cheese or sour cream.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with a sprig of cilantro or parsley.  Serve with a green salad and corn bread.