Laissez les bons temps rouler

We recently celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. It happen to fall right after Mardi Gras so that set the theme. We tend to celebrate things for more than the day so we ate for a full week some of the best homemade organic New Orleans cuisine I could cook up. Hence the title of this post "Laissez les bons temps rouler" (Let the good times roll).  The food we ate would have made the oldest Cajun chef proud. 

I have promised this recipe to quite a few people and I think I have made them wait long enough. So here is my Red Beans and Rice recipe. Please check back for more New Orleans inspired recipes from our anniversary week (Jambalaya, Beignets, King Cakes, just to name a few). 

I used 100% organic ingredients and that's what I recommend. If you need the brands or where to source them please leave a comment or email us. Now for the recipe!!! 

Red Beans & Rice Recipe.

 

 

Needed for recipe:

1 lb dried red beans

2 cups brown rice

1 large yellow onion

1 large bell pepper

2 large carrot 

2 stalks celery

10 cloves of garlic

1 to 3 Chicken livers

Tom paste

Pack of your favorite sausage links

Butter & EVOO

Vegetable Stock

Spices;

Paprika

Thyme

Parsley

Oregano

Bay leaves

Celery seed

Chili powder

Himalayan salt

Fresh ground pepper

Optional Cayenne Pepper

Red Bean Recipe:

1lb dry red beans soaked, then boiled for 20 min then placed in a crockpot for 4 hours on high with 1tbls oregano, 1tbls parsley, 2 bay leaves, and a dash of celery seed. 

Dice:

Half bell pepper

Half lrg yellow onion

Stalk of celery

5 cloves of garlic

And shred a large carrot

In a large pot drizzle EVOO add onions, celery, pepper, carrot, garlic, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.

Add:

  1 1/2 tbls paprika

 1tbls Tom paste

 1 1/2 tbls thyme

 1 1/2 tbls oregano

  Dash of salt

10 grinds of pepper

Dash chili powder

 2 bay leaves

**

 

 Mix well, then transfer red beans and enough bean water to almost cover beans from the crockpot into the above mixture. Place lid on pot and cook on medium until rice is is prepared. 

 

 

Dirty Rice Recipe:

2 cups brown rice cooked in rice cooker

Dice:

Half bell pepper

Half large yellow onion

Stalk of celery

Shred a large carrot

5 cloves of garlic 

Chicken liver (dice to almost like ground meat)

Butter

Put all veggies in 3 quart sautée pan with EVOO and mix occasionally until peppers are soft.

Add spices below and mix well. 

2 tbls paprika 

1 1/2 tbls thyme

3 tbls parsley

1 3/4 tbls oregano

Ts Salt 

20 grinds pepper

1/2 tbls chili powder

1 tbls basil

1/2 tbls Optional Cayenne Pepper

 **

Separate to half of the pan. 

Add butter to the pan side without veggies. After butter melts add the minced liver, when liver has slightly cooked and browns a bit add garlic and stir. When garlic and liver are both cooked through add rice to the liver mixture and stir. Slowly mix in veggies once liver is incorporated. Place lid on pan and let everything cook for about 10 additional minutes.

 Add up to 1/2c of ckn stock if the rice starts to stick, let it cook until the stock is soaked in/evaporated if added.

 

Sausage for rice. 

Cut 3 links of sausage, I cut each link differently rounds, halved rounds, and quarters. I used Bilinski Organic Chicken Mild Italian. I really like this sausage and finding an organic non beef or pork andouille is almost impossible. 

Place sausage in a pan and start to brown. I Add 1 1/2 tbls of butter to the pan of browned sausage to deglaze a bit. Add butter & sausage to rice and mix. 

I guarantee this will smell and taste better than any box mix or frozen dinner you could ever find. Not only that you will know what's in it and what's not. That alone is something to be proud of. 

Plate rice with beans on top and ENJOY!!!!

-Greg

**=Keep in mind spices are an estimate. I do not measure but you will know its spiced right when it smells like NOLA. Next time I make this I will edit this post if need be.