Recipe: Cajun-Creole Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

RED BEANS AND RICE WITH SAUSAGE

2 pounds hot or smoked sausage
2 pounds dried kidney beans
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 meaty ham hock, about 1 1/2 pounds
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram (or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram)
4 fresh bay leaves (or 2 dried)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (12-ounce) can beer
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and red (cayenne) pepper (to taste)
FOR SERVING:
Cooked white rice
6 green onions, chopped
Minced flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice sausage into bite-size pieces and spread in single layer on heavy baking sheet.

Bake sausage until cooked through and it has rendered its fat. Drain sausage on rack placed over baking sheet and refrigerate until needed.

Sort through beans, discarding any discolored ones or pebbles. Rinse beans under running water.

Heat vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Saute until vegetables are wilted, about 8 minutes.

Add beans, ham hock, marjoram, bay leaves, sugar and beer to Dutch oven. Stir to blend well and add enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and add seasonings. Cover and simmer until beans are soft and juice has formed a thickened gravy, about 3 hours. Add additional water if necessary while cooking.

When beans are tender, remove ham hock and chop into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. Return the chopped meat to the beans and add the cooked sausage slices. Cook just to heat through.

TO SERVE:
Serve over rice, garnished with chopped green onions and minced parsley.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Source: Cajun-Creole Cooking by Terry Thompson-Anderson