You can ask my family, if it's Monday, more than likely, it's red beans and rice for dinner. I may have moved thousands of miles away from my New Orleans roots, but my cooking habits haven't changed much. Buffalo has been added to my menu but I still cook like a New Orleanian. It's a tradition to make a slow simmering pot of red beans on Mondays and here's a little background to tell you why.
The Louisiana tradition of cooking red beans and rice on Mondays began many years ago in the early 1900’s. As you can imagine, chores took a lot longer back then and Monday was considered “wash day”. The woman of the house would put on a pot of beans to slow cook all day while she did the laundry. Left over Sunday ham was used as seasoning to flavor the beans, which made the meal not only delicious but also economical. After a full day of washing clothes, a tasty and nutritious meal of red beans and rice was served to the family.
Mondays are busy for me too. After a weekend of outdoor recreation or lounging around the house, there's lots of stuff to catch up on. If I start the beans in the morning, I can get back into the weekday routine and have a hearty meal ready at dinnertime without all of the fuss.
Here’s my recipe for easy red beans and rice with andouille sausage.
Rinse and sort 1 lb red beans. Put beans in a dutch oven and cover the beans with approximately 8 cups of water.
I prefer Camillia Brand red beans, but the groceries around here don't sell them. Use your favorite brand of red beans.
Chop 1 lb andouille sausage and add to pot. I also use 2 medium sized ham hocks for extra flavor.
It doesn't have to be andouille. You can use any smoked sausage of your choice.
Chop 1 onion, 2 stalks of celery and 2 cloves garlic. Add vegetables to pot. Add 1 bay leaf. Stir.
All good Creole cooking starts with onion, celery, and garlic.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer slowly all day until dinnertime. When ready, beans should be soft and the mixture should be thick and creamy.
Season to taste with salt and pepper or cajun seasoning. Serve over fluffy long grain rice. Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice is my favorite. You're going to pay extra for it but the results are worth it. Each grain cooks up nice and dry with no clumping or stickiness.
Garnish with green onion. Like it extra spicy? Add a drop or two of Tabasco.
Add a piece of garlic bread for a simple and satisfying New Orleans style meal you can serve any busy day of the week.
Tip: Freeze any leftovers for the next Monday's meal.
