Quote:
Originally Posted by patty_b
Ok..I am sure someone can tell me how to season red beans and rice, but without the real hot stuff. I grew up with cornbread and beans that were cooked with ham bone. Just not sure how to do
The red and black beans.
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There is low country SC/Savannah red beans and rice and the New Orleans/Texas Version. The low country version is generally less hot and spicy. Then also comes the question of how you prefer the rice as in cooked separate and waiting for the side or top serving of beans, red rice, or cooked with the beans inside the rice. Some do as you mentioned and have plain pintos with smoked pork, while others go all out with
the trinity of celery, green pepper, onion and add parsley. Red beans and pintos are totally separate. IF you get dry beans be sure the package says small red beans. They are no more than 3/8ths inch long and not the much longer and rounder bean. Lately, we have just been buying a can of red beans that are not pre-seasoned. Saves a lot of time and work. The Cajun style starts with a roux and can include a lengthy list of possibilities in terms of additions like hot sauce, Worcestershire, ketchup, red wine, chili powder, garlic, thyme, oregano and more.
The low country style is far less complex both in preparation and ingredients. I like to taste the beans and have plenty of bean gravy for the rice, but I generally tone down the heat and spices for the sake of others and certainly don't have time for a roux. For us it's generally just a tad of butter for flavor, a bit of pork, cooked onions (just translucent, not caramelized)parsley and veggies per your choosing, and a short hit of the sauces referenced above. Black beans are a totally different approach depending if you want Cuban or South American. I really think that they are worth the time for the extra work and accompaniments such as plantain (sweet or plain), yucca, callaloo, yellow rice and either ropa vieja or chicharones.