Island Senior: Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Happy Fat Tuesday! March 1 is the last day of carnival, the day before lent, and a time for feasting. One traditional dish, easy to make, economical, and good for you, is Louisiana red beans and rice.

After the Haitian Revolution of 1804 thousands of refugees of both European and African heritage fled Haiti to New Orleans. They doubled the city’s population and made an indelible mark on the city’s cuisine including the Haitian specialty, red beans and rice.

Red beans and rice is a Creole standard that traditionally was eaten on Mondays in New Orleans. Monday was laundry day. A pot of beans could be left simmering on the stove while the washing took place. Traditionally the meat added was the ham bone left over from Sunday dinner.

Today people add pork sausage such as Andouille or Tasso ham for it’s smoky flavor. I’m making mine vegetarian. In the true spirit of the dish I’m using what is on hand in my kitchen.

I’ve cooked up some rice and my beans are simmering. Added to the beans are what is called in Creole cooking “the holy trinity” — chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper along with spices, including bay leaf, thyme, garlic, paprika, and cayenne.

Cook the beans down until they get creamy. You can remove a small portion of the beans and mash them, adding them back to the pot to thicken the sauce. Ladle the beans over a fluffy helping of rice and top with green onions, parsley, or hot sauce to taste.

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