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Entree: Recession Special Red Beans + Rice

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Living: A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen"


Recipe Introduction

"Back in the Great Recession of 2008, my favorite honky-tonk, Robert's in Nashville's historic Lower Broadway district, ran a great deal. The 'Recession Special' cost just $5, and consisted of a fried bologna sandwich, a bag of Lay's original potato chips, an ice-cold Pabst Blue Ribbon, and your choice between either a Goo Goo Cluster or a MoonPie. Back in my single days, my crew — Tex, Krones, Chris, Bobby, Robert, Miller, and I sure did eat a lot of those Recession Specials. The best part about Robert's wasn't the food — it was the incredible Western swing and traditional music that was played from 10 a.m. til 2 a.m. daily, not to mention the cute girls. Heaven. On. Earth. Of course, a meal such as the Recession Special wasn't always the healthiest of choices. Nevertheless, sometimes the tastiest meals are those that require the least amount of ingredients, like my own recession special of rice and beans. Let's be clear, I've eaten many a plate of rice and beans, so this is one recipe I've definitely perfected on the cheap! You can also make this recipe vegetarian-friendly by cutting out the ham — either way, it's a real pleaser."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 (16-ounce) package dried red kidney beans
◦  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
◦  1 pound tasso ham or one 16-ounce ham steak, diced
◦  1 large Vidalia or sweet onion, finely diced
◦  ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper
◦  2 celery ribs, finely diced
◦  1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
◦  3 cloves garlic, minced
◦  8 cups chicken stock
◦  4 cups hot cooked rice
◦  Garnish: sliced green onions


Recipe

Place beans in a large bowl, and cover with water to 2 inches above beans. Let soak 8 to 24 hours; drain.

Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 1 minute or until hot; add oil. Cook ham in hot oil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or just until browned. Add onion and next three ingredients, and sauté 8 minutes or just until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute or just until fragrant.

Stir in beans and stock. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 hours or until beans are tender. Serve bean mixture in shallow bowls. Top with hot cooked rice.


Serves 8