What's Pressoir Cooking? Creole Red Beans and Rice
by Max Goldberg Liu
December 9, 2020
This extremely easy to prepare and satisfying dish has become a staple in our recipe rotation and brings the warmth and energy of New Orleans to the cold Northeast. Louis Armstrong loved the dish so much that he would sign his letters “Red beans and ricely yours, Louis Armstrong.”
Like so many dishes in the Creole and Cajun repertoire, this one starts out with the “Holy Trinity” of aromatics - onion, celery, and bell pepper (a variation of the French mirepoix which has carrot instead of the pepper).
After crisping sliced andouille sausage in the pot, sweat and cook down the aromatics in the rendered fat. Then you add the rest of the flavors - garlic, tomato paste, and cajun seasoning (paprika, cayenne, thyme, garlic, onion, celery seed) - and then the beans and chicken stock. Cook for another 30 mins or so and that’s it! I like to mash up a third or so of the beans to amp up the creaminess of the sauce, which really compliments the smokiness of the sausage and heat from the generous amount of cayenne pepper.
To go with the Red Beans and Rice, we drank a bottle of Champagne Philippe Gonet “TER,” a blend of Chardonnay from “Les Hautes Mottes” in Le Mesnil, “Vozémieux” in Oger, and “Les Corrigniers” in Ludes. Fresh, saline, and lively, this was a great pairing, although I must say I would have been equally as happy with an ice cold Abita Amber lager to keep the New Orleans theme going.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Red Beans and Rice
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
3 (15-ounce) cans red beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves or scallions
DIRECTIONS:
Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.
Add onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste, garlic and Cajun seasoning until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in red beans, chicken stock, hot sauce, bay leaf and sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; continue to simmer until reduced, an additional 15 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, mash beans until slightly thickened, if desired; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately, topped with rice and garnished with parsley and/or scallions , if desired.
