Creole Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red kidney beans or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans red kidney beans with liquid
• 2–6 cups low- or no-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
• 1 green bell pepper, small diced
• 2 small celery stalks, small diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 12–16 ounces chicken sausage, smoked sausage, or andouille sausage
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, homemade ( page 20 ) or store-bought
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Roma tomatoes, small diced
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 4 cups low- or no-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1. If you are using dried beans, allow them to soak overnight in a large bowl of water. Drain the beans and transfer them to a medium pot. Pour 6 cups chicken broth over the beans and lightly simmer over medium heat until the beans are tender, 1–1½ hours. (Be careful not to overcook or the beans may break and become mushy.) If you’re using canned beans for a shortcut, add the beans with their liquid to 2 cups simmering chicken broth and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

Instructions

1. 1Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat while the beans finish cooking.
2. 2Stir in the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery, and minced garlic. Cook for three to four minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, seasoning with salt and black pepper to your liking.
3. 3Move the cooked vegetable mixture to a separate bowl and set it aside.
4. 4Place the sliced sausage into the empty pot and cook for about five minutes until it develops a golden brown crust. Pour the reserved vegetable mixture back into the pot and stir everything together.
5. 5Sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, and dried sage, cooking for one minute to toast the spices and release their aromas.
6. 6Toss in the bay leaves and diced Roma tomatoes, then pour in the liquid smoke. Adjust the amount of liquid smoke to suit your personal preference for a smoky flavor.
7. 7Take the pot off the heat and wait for the beans to finish cooking. Pour the prepared beans into the sausage and vegetable mixture, stirring well, and discard the bay leaves.
8. 8Prepare the rice by bringing four cups of chicken broth to a rolling boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
9. 9Stir in the long-grain white rice and a pinch of salt, then cover the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer according to the package directions until the rice becomes tender and absorbs all the broth.
10. 10Fold the minced fresh cilantro into the fluffy cooked rice and serve it immediately topped with the warm red bean and sausage mixture.

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