Cajun White Beans with Andouille

Cajun White Beans with Andouille 1 pound package of dried white beans (Great Northern or Navy) 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 pound of mild andouille or other spicy smoked sausage 2 slices of bacon, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 a bell pepper, chopped 1 stalk of celery, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 medium of bay leaf 2 green onions, sliced Palmfull of dried parsley 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste Hot sauce, for the table Rinse and sort through the beans, soak overnight or add to a stockpot and cover with water plus about 1 inch. Bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes uncovered, turn off heat, cover and let soak for one hour. Drain and return to the pot. Heat canola in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Quarter and slice sausage into small bite sized pieces, add to hot oil and cook until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to the stockpot with the beans. To the drippings in the skillet, add the bacon and cook until rendered. Remove the bacon, set aside, and add the onion, bell pepper and celery to the skillet. Cook until just browned and beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Transfer veggies to the beans and sausage; add the bay leaf and cooked bacon. Deglaze the skillet with a bit of water and scrape up any browned bits. Add that to the bean pot. Cover everything with fresh water, plus about an inch and a half, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and gravy is thickened. Add additional water if needed to thin. Stir in the green onion, parsley, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and simmer another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over hot rice with cornbread and pass the hot sauce at the table. Cook's Notes: Andouille sausage is a highly spiced smoked sausage that is blended with Cajun spices, adding a spicy kick and great flavor to these dishes. If you substitute kielbasa or other smoked sausages in recipes where it calls for Andouille, it will affect the outcome of the flavor of your dish and you’ll need to make adjustments in the seasonings you use. I prefer Camellia brand white northern beans. Use about a pound of ham hocks, or several ham shanks together with or instead of the andouille, adjust seasonings to taste as needed. To extract the most flavor, I also like to simmer the ham hocks or bones alone in water for about an hour, before adding the veggies and beans. Beans and Greens: Prepare as above, except at the end of cooking time, stir in 1-1/2 cups (or to taste), cooked and well drained collards, turnip or mustard greens. Canned is fine. Shrimp and White Beans: At the end of cooking time, add a can of drained Rotel tomatoes, 1/2 pound of fresh, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp and 1 teaspoon Old Bay, cooking until shrimp is completely cooked through. For Soup: Prepare as above for soaking beans and prepping meats and veggies. Cover beans with fresh water and add in 1 quart of chicken stock or broth. Proceed with recipe, adding more water if needed as they cook. Can also substitute canned white beans - you want 2 to 3, drained and rinsed. Cook only long enough to warm the beans through. For the Slow Cooker: Rinse, drain and sort through beans. Add the unsoaked beans to a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add beans, sauteed sausage and/or shanks or hocks, and veggies to the slow cooker. Cover the beans with 5 to 7 cups of very hot water - you'll need more or less depending on whether you’ve soaked your beans and whether you are using a large ham bone. You want to cover the beans by about an inch or so. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, or until the beans are tender. Before serving, stir in the green onion, parsley, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper, cover and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Instant Pot: Rinse and sort beans, place into pot and cover with water plus about an inch. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter seal and set for 5 minutes. Let pressure release naturally; drain and set beans aside. Wipe out pot. Add oil and set to saute; add sausage and brown, remove and set aside. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered; add veggies to drippings and cook for 2 minutes. Return beans to pot and cover with 1 quart chicken stock/broth. Add 2 cups water, or enough to cover beans by an inch. Seal pot and set for 15 minuses on high; let pressure release naturally. Switch pot to saute, add sausage, stir in green onion, parsley, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring several times. Taste and adjust seasonings, serve over hot rice and pass hot sauce at the table.