Delicious Red Beans & Rice + Praline Bread Pudding

My first red beans and rice experience was in New Orleans. It was by accident I entered Buster Holmes restaurant in the French Quarter, a naive, hungry 17 year-old college freshman unaware that this humble place was legendary for its food, specifically for flavors and authenticity.

Buster Holmes, legendary French Quarter cook and restauranteur.Photo byDown South Today

Red beans and rice is a simple yet flavorful dish, typically made with red kidney beans, sausage, onions, bell peppers, and Creole seasonings. It's a hearty and comforting meal that is beloved for its rich flavors and nourishing ingredients.

Whether prepared at home or enjoyed at a local restaurant, red beans and rice continue to be a cherished part of New Orleans culinary culture, bringing people together through the shared experience of a delicious meal. The tradition of red beans and rice on Mondays not only served a practical purpose but also became a symbol of community and tradition, as families would gather around the dinner table after a long day of chores.

This dish has stood the test of time, proving that simple ingredients and slow cooking can result in a dish that is both satisfying and culturally significant. The blend of spices, smoky sausage, and tender beans creates a harmonious flavor profile that is distinctly Creole and has become a hallmark of New Orleans where food is not just sustenance but a way of bringing people together in celebration of the city's rich culinary heritage.

Red Beans and Rice. Hearty and filled with flavor.Photo byDown South Today

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

2 tbsp bacon drippings or vegetable oil, or ½-cup chopped bacon

1 lb smoked or andouille sausage sliced into small bite-sized pieces

1 large sweet onion diced

1 medium green bell pepper diced

½ cup celery diced

4-6 cloves of fresh garlic minced

2 tbsp Creole seasoning like Tony Chachere's

1 tbsp Louisiana Hot Sauce

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground thyme

1 lb smoked ham hock or smoked turkey neck

3 bay leaves

8 cups water

1 lb Red Beans sorted and soaked overnight

2 tsp salt if desired

½ tsp black pepper

½ stick unsalted butter, warmed or 2 tbsp vegetable oil)

green onions for garnishment

long grain rice

Instructions:

Soak the red beans overnight and rinse before using.

In a large pot over MEDIUM heat, brown the sausage in the bacon drippings until the edges have crisped. If you're using chopped pieces of bacon (½ cup), wait until the bacon has crisped and rendered some fat before adding the sausage to the pot. Once the sausage has evenly browned, remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate, and set it aside.

In the rendered fat, saute the trinity (onions, bell pepper, and celery) until the vegetables have become tender, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to stir for 1 minute. Add Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground thyme, cayenne pepper, and Louisiana Hot Sauce and continue to stir for another 1 minute.

Return smoked sausage to the pot along with the smoked ham hock, and bay leaves.

Pour 8 cups of water into the pot. Add the red beans to the pot and bring to a boil - about 10 minutes. Cover, and reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Remove lid, and continue to simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours, or until the beans have become tender - stirring occasionally. If the beans begin to dry out, add warm water to the pot.

Remove bay leaves from the pot and discard. Carefully take the ham hock out and place it on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, remove any meat from the ham hock and add the meat back to the pot. Discard the skin and bones. Remove 1 cup of red beans and mash into a paste, then return mashed beans to the pot. Season the beans with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and let the pot simmer for additional 30 minutes. The consistency of the beans should thicken up and become creamy the longer it simmers. If they become too dry, add 1-2 cups of more water.

Add ½-stick of non-salted butter, or 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, about 5 minutes before serving. This will make the beans extra creamy and rich in flavor. Be sure that the butter is warmed. A cold stick of butter will not melt properly.

Serve the red beans over cooked long grain white rice. Garnish with chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Famous Dave's Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce. A New Orleans-inspired dessert.Photo byDown South Today

FAMOUS DAVE’S PRALINE AND BREAD PUDDING

Famous Dave Anderson created this New Orleans-inspired dessert. It compliments Red Beans and Rice. Leftovers are uncommon.

Ingredients

Bread Pudding:

1 loaf french bread or other white bread

2/3 up golden raisins optional

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 cup milk or half & half

2 cup whipping cream or whole milk

1/4 cup vanilla

8 eggs beaten

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Whipped cream or ice cream

Instructions:

Coat bottom and sides of 13-by-9-inch baking pan heavily with butter.Tear bread into 1-inch pieces. Mix with raisins in bowl. Lay bread mixture evenly in prepared dish, turning crust side down, as this tends to burn easily. In bowl, whisk sugar, milk, whipping cream, vanilla, eggs and cinnamon until blended. Pour over bread mixture. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place baking dish in larger 4-inch deep baking pan. Add water to reach halfway up side of dish. Bake in preheated oven 1 hour.Remove from water bath. Let stand 20 minutes.Cut pudding into portions and put into large dessert bowls. Add a scoop of ice cream next to the pudding, and then spoon 3 to 4 ounces of warm praline sauce over the pudding and the ice cream. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Famous Dave's Praline Sauce:

1 cup butter

3/4 cup chopped pecans

3 1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup whipping cream or whole milk

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 tsp. vanilla

To make this sauce, it is very important to follow the directions carefully and to use a candy thermometer. If you don't have time to make this sauce, just use a high quality store bought caramel and add pecans to the sauce.

For this Praline Caramel recipe, in a large saucepan, heat 1/2cup of the butter until melted. Add pecans and mix well. Bring to a boil.Cook until pecans begin to change color. Mixture will foam up.Add remaining 1/2 cup cubed butter and mix well. This will cool pecan mixture and stop the cooking process. Remove from heat. Do not over cook. Combine brown sugar, whipping cream and cinnamon in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over low heat until blended, stirring constantly. Increase heat and cook until mixture comes to 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Or boil mixture for about 1 minute. Stir in pecan mixture. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix well. Remove from heat.

Bon Appetit!