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Red Beans and Rice Gumbo
PREP TIME: 1 Hour SERVES: 10-12
In South Louisiana, we normally think of red beans as a "Monday" dish and always serve them over rice with a link of smoked sausage. This gumbo variation started out as a perfect solution to making use of leftover red beans and rice. Today, its a fall delicacy.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16-ounce can) Blue Runner New Orleans Red Beans
1 (10-12-ounce) can red kidney beans in water
1 cup cooked long grain rice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup bacon fat
1/2 cup flour
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup garlic, minced
1 quart chicken stock or water
1 pound sugar cured ham, diced
1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
In a 7-quart cast iron pot, heat oil and bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add flour and, using a wire whisk, stir constantly until dark brown roux is achieved. Add onions, celery and bell peppers and saute 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, for an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, blending well into the roux mixture. Add ham and smoked sausage and cook 3-5 minutes. Add Blue Runner beans, blending well into the stock. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook 45 minutes. Add additional stock or water as necessary to maintain soup-like consistency. Add cooked kidney beans, rice , green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt and pepper. Return to a low boil and serve immediately.
Chicken, Oyster and Andouille Gumbo
PREP TIME: 1 1/2 Hours SERVES: 12
The Cajuns of south Louisiana often included andouille and oysters in a holiday gumbo. Normally, a sack of gulf oysters would be purchased the day before the celebration where half would be open for the gumbo and the other half consumed on the spot with a dash of hot sauce. Serve this gumbo on Christmas Eve and you will be duplicating an age-old bayou tradition.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (4-5 pound) stewing hen, cut into serving pieces
4 dozen freshly shucked oysters, reserve liquid
1 pound Jacob's andouille, sliced*
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups onions, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup garlic, diced
3 quarts chicken stock
2 cups green onions, sliced
1 cup parsley, chopped
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
In a two gallon stock pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add flour and using a wire whisk, stir constantly until roux is golden brown. Do not scorch. Should black specks appear, discard and begin again. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and cook approximately three to five minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add hen and andouille and blend into vegetable mixture and sauté 15 minutes. Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately one hour. Add oysters, liquid and cook an additional 10 minutes. Blend in green onions and parsley and continue to simmer until oysters begin to curl at the edges. Season to taste using salt and pepper and serve over cooked rice..
*You can find Jacob's Andouille at 505 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace, LA 70068. Phone:(985) 652-9080
Crawfish and Mirliton Bisque
PREP TIME: 1 Hour SERVES: 12
Mirliton, or chayote squash, was a gift from the Canary Islanders to the Creoles back in 1765. It is hard to imagine any bayou garden being complete without a mirliton vine growing over an arbor. It is truly one of Louisiana’s most versatile vegetables.
INGREDIENTS:
6 mirliton
1 pound crawfish tails
1/2 pound tasso, julienned
1 cup butter
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
½ cup red bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup garlic, minced
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh tarragon
1 cup flour
2 1/2 quarts shellfish stock or water
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cup green onions, sliced
1 cup parsley, chopped
salt and white pepper to taste
Split mirliton lengthwise through the center and poach in lightly salted water for approximately 45 minutes or until tender. The mirliton will be perfectly cooked when a fork can be inserted easily into the pulp. Remove and cool. Once cool, scoop the meat from the mirliton using a teaspoon, discarding the seed and shell. Drain and set aside. In a 2-gallon stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic and tasso. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add nutmeg, tarragon and flour and using a wire whisk, stir until white roux is achieved. Do not brown. Add crawfish and shellfish stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until all is incorporated. Add mirliton, blending well into the mixture. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30 minutes. Add heavy whipping cream green onions and parsley. Allow to cook an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste using salt and white pepper.
Navy Bean Soup
PREP TIME: 1 1/2 Hours SERVES: 8
Nothing is healthier or more comforting than a navy bean soup when prepared with lean ham rather than a fat ham hock or sausage. This light recipe has less sodium and is perfect for a cold January night.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound dried navy beans
1 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup potatoes, diced
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup elbow macaroni
2 cups lean ham, diced
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
Rinse the beans under cold running water. You may wish to soak the beans in cold water overnight to cut the cooking time by one-third. Place the beans in a large cast iron Dutch oven and cover by 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook approximately 1 hour or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add onions, celery, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, macaroni and ham. Blend well into the bean mixture and cook 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You may need to add water to retain desired consistency. Add green onions and parsley. Season to taste using salt, pepper and hot sauce. NOTE: When stirring beans during the cooking process, mash approximately half of the beans by pressing the cooking spoon against the inside of the pot. This will give the navy bean soup a creamy consistency.
