New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

Melt the butter in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and green bell pepper — the holy trinity of Creole cooking. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until softened and beginning to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Push the vegetables to the sides and add the sliced Andouille sausage in a single layer. Let the sausage brown for 2–3 minutes per side without moving it — you want a rendered crust that will give the beans their smoky depth. Stir everything together.

Add the drained, soaked kidney beans to the pot. Add bay leaves, thyme, cayenne, smoked paprika, and a generous pinch of salt. Cover with cold water by 5 cm. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered or loosely covered for 1.5–2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes and adding water to keep the beans just submerged. After 90 minutes, begin mashing a few beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon — these crushed beans will thicken the pot liquor to a creamy, gravy-like consistency. Continue until the pot liquid is thick and creamy and the beans are completely tender. Taste for salt, cayenne, and smoke.

While the beans finish, cook the rice in a separate saucepan. Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear. Combine with cold water in a 1:1.75 ratio, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to the lowest possible heat, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest covered for 10 minutes without lifting the lid. Fluff with a fork. The rice should be separate, fluffy, and dry enough to soak up the bean gravy.

Scoop a mound of fluffy white rice into the center of each bowl. Ladle the red beans and sausage generously over and around the rice so the creamy gravy puddles at the base. The classic ratio is roughly equal parts rice and beans in the bowl. Garnish with sliced scallion and a few dashes of Louisiana hot sauce if desired. The beans will continue to thicken as the dish sits — this is traditional and desirable.