Recipe: Red Beans and Rice Creole Style

Red Beans and Rice
Red Beans 'n' Rice is a traditional mainstay on menus featuring Creole dishes. It is often prepared on Monday, using the ham bone from Sunday dinner for flavor.

2 cups dry red kidney beans or dry red beans
6 cups water
2 meaty, cooked smoked pork hocks (about 1 pound)
7 cups water
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped red sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups hot cooked rice

Rinse red kidney beans or red beans. In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine beans and 6 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or, place beans in water in pan. Cover and let soak in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.) Drain and rinse beans. In the same pan combine pork hocks and 7 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 2 hours or until pork hocks are tender. Add beans, onion, green sweet pepper, red sweet pepper, garlic, salt, cumin, crushed red pepper, and pepper. Bring to a boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours more or until beans are tender. Remove meat. When cool enough to handle, cut meat off bones; coarsely chop meat. Discard bone. Return meat to pan. Heat through. Serve over hot cooked rice. Makes 6 servings.