Southern Red Beans and Rice

Southern Red Beans and Rice 1 pound of dried, red kidney beans 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil 1 package (12-14 oz.) andouille or regular smoked sausage 3 slices bacon, chopped 2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, minced Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste, optional 1 teaspoon dried basil 2 medium bay leaves 1 large meaty ham bone or two meaty ham hocks 2 quarts of water 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or bacon drippings, optional Kosher salt to taste, only if needed Hot, cooked rice Sliced green onion, for garnish, optional Hot sauce, for the table Rinse and sort beans and place into a deep pot, adding water to cover beans plus an inch. Soak overnight or bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes uncovered, turn off heat, cover and let soak for one hour. Drain and set aside. Heat cooking oil in the pot. Cut sausage into 1-inch chunks and add to oil, cooking until browned; remove and set aside. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and sauté the veggies until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, black and red pepper, basil and bay leaf to the vegetable mixture and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring. Add the ham bone or hocks, beans and sausage, and the 2 quarts of fresh water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and slightly thickened. For extra richness, stir in the butter when beans are finished. Remove bay leaves and discard. Remove bone or hocks and pick off any meat, returning to the pot. Taste and adjust for seasonings, adding salt only if needed. Serve over hot, cooked rice and garnish with sliced green onion, if desired. Pass hot sauce at the table. Notes: Do not add any salt until the end, and then only if it needs it. There is some salt present from all the meats involved, so taste and adjust your seasonings toward the end of cooking, adding salt here if needed. I very often find that the pot needs no additional salt at all. Taste, add salt if needed, taste again and adjust seasoning as needed. If you need to thicken beans further, remove about a cup of the beans and mash them with a fork, returning them to the pot. For added richness and color, add a splash of Kitchen Bouquet at the end of cooking time. If your ham bone or hocks are not very meaty, you may add some chopped smoked ham. Meatless Monday Vegetarian Beans: To make red beans meat-free, you'll need to bump up the flavor a bit! Once beans have been soaked, substitute a low-sodium vegetable broth for the 2 quarts of water, use a full tablespoon of minced garlic, increase the dried herbs to 3 teaspoons, using a mixture such as basil, thyme and oregano, use large bay leaves, and add 2 teaspoons of Liquid Smoke. Ground Beef Red Beans and Rice: Prepare as above, except omit bacon and/or ham bone or pork hocks, if desired. Add one pound of cooked and drained ground beef and 1/4 to 1/2 pound of diced andouille. I also like to add 1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning for the cayenne. Finish as above with butter or bacon drippings for additional richness.