Nancy and Jim Berlo put their imaginations to work when they cook for family and friends.
“This recipe for Red Beans and Rice started out as an attempt by my husband Jim and me to recreate a packaged seasoning mix,” confides Nancy Berlo of Alpharetta, Georgia. It ended up becoming a flavorful, but unique, rendition of the Cajun classic.
Red Beans and Rice is chockfull of hearty flavor, with four kinds of meat, plenty of herbs and spices and a little Cajun Seasoning to give it a bit of a kick. Served alongside jambalaya, it’s the perfect dish for a Mardi Gras gathering.
This Cajun staple from Nancy takes a bit of time but there is no better way to warm up on a chilly day.
Note: When cooking with dried beans we like to soak them overnight to soften them. Nancy’s original recipe does not call for the beans to be soaked; she simply cooks them longer. It is a matter of preference.
In a large Dutch oven, cover the turkey wing and ham hock with 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for several hours uncovered until the meat is tender. Remove the meat to a dish, pick the meat off the bones and discard the bones. Measure the remaining liquid in the pot, and either add water or reduce the liquid down, to end up with 6 cups. Pour the liquid into a bowl.
In the same pot, cook the bacon until crisp, and remove to the dish with the other meats. Cook the andouille slices until browned, and add to the bacon, etc. In the bacon fat, sauté the onion, bell pepper and celery until softened. Add the garlic, OREGANO and THYME, and stir for a minute or so. Stir in the reserved 6 cups of liquid, the beans, BAY LEAVES and CAJUN SEASONING. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the beans are tender and the liquid is beginning to thicken. This may take anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on whether or not you soaked the beans overnight. Remove the cover and simmer until thickened, probably another 30 minutes.
Stir in the turkey, ham, bacon and sausage. Taste and add salt, PEPPER, more CAJUN SEASONING, Tabasco and/or CAYENNE PEPPER as desired. Heat the meat through and serve over hot fluffy white rice.
Oven method: If desired, once the beans and seasonings are added, the pot may be covered and cooked in a 300° oven instead of on the stovetop. Remove the cover for the last half hour, and then add meat, etc. as above.
Nutritional Information: Servings 12;
Serving Size 1 1/2 cups (352g); Calories 740; Calories from fat 370; Total fat 41g; Cholesterol 135mg; Sodium 1750mg; Carbohydrate 45g; Dietary Fiber 10g.
