Red Beans and Rice

By Meisje

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage (cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup celery (diced)
• 1/2 cup green pepper (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• dry red beans, soaked and cooked
• 1 ham hock
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups cooked rice (I like to go with a brown rice)

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the sausage and saute until lightly golden brown, about 5-7 minutes, and set aside.
Add the onions, celery and green pepper to the pan and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
Add the stock, beans, ham hock, paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 1-3 hours.
Remove the ham hock, pull the meat from it, cut it into bite sized pieces and add it back to the pot if desired.
Mash or puree about a quarter of the beans.
Serve over rice.