Right here’s a more healthy improve to the traditional New Orleans recipe: Purple Beans and Brown Rice!
UPDATE (2017): I initially posted this again in 2012 when the Tremendous Bowl was in New Orleans and Mardi Gras was approaching. I’ve up to date the pictures – take pleasure in!
Between the latest Tremendous Bowl in NOLA and Mardi Gras quick approaching, there’s a plethora New Orleans, Cajun, Creole recipes floating round and this Southern Wannabe is loving all of them.
This obtained me within the temper to make a giant pot of pink beans and rice (although I notice an East Coast gal can’t actually produce the true factor however imitation is the sincerest type of flattery, proper?)
A style of NOLA: Straightforward Louisiana Purple Beans & Brown Rice recipe @tspbasil Click on To Tweet
Some Purple Beans and Rice tidbits:
- Purple beans and rice has been a Monday meal custom for many years in New Orleans. On wash day (Mondays), girls would put a giant pot of beans on the range to prepare dinner all day as they did the laundry. The beans have been seasoned with leftovers from the Sunday ham and served over rice.
- The “Holy Trinity” of Cajun and Creole cooking is onions, celery and bell peppers and is the bottom for this dish.
- Cajun/Creole seasoning is a savory spice combine – with a bit kick – often paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, oregano and thyme. Zatarians is a well-liked model.
- The pink beans used are smaller and a bit sweeter than giant kidney beans (locals swear by Cameilla Purple Kidney Beans for this dish.)
I made a number of wholesome tweaks whereas nonetheless conserving that Cajun taste:
- swap in complete grain brown rice (I used brown basmati )
- swap in turkey kielbasa for andouille (much less fats however nonetheless plenty of warmth and spice)
- in the reduction of on the Cajun seasoning (as salt is often the primary ingredient) and add in smoked paprika for some additional smoky taste
My lazy method shortcut to make maintain it easy is to make use of canned pink beans as an alternative of dried beans (for those who can’t discover a low sodium model, all the time drain and rinse canned beans totally.) I used a canned model of the smaller pink beans underneath the Westbrae natural label however in a pinch, pink kidney beans will work, too.
Description
A New Orleans favourite is given a wholesome twist with out sacrificing style. Made in underneath an hour, this Purple Beans and Brown Rice recipe is certain to please.
- 2 cups raw basmati brown rice
- 13 ounces turkey kiebalsa (or hen andouille)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 giant onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cup)
- 1 giant inexperienced pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 giant celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 (15 ounces) cans pink beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Your favourite sizzling sauce
- Cook dinner rice in line with bundle and put aside.
- In a big Dutch oven over medium-high warmth, prepare dinner kielbasa or sausage to sear, stirring steadily for 4 minutes. Take away from pot and put aside.
- Scale back to medium warmth and add oil. Add onion, pepper and celery; saute for 8 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika and salt; saute one other 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add in beans and water; convey to a boil. Decrease to a simmer and prepare dinner for quarter-hour.
- Mash among the beans in opposition to the facet of the pot to thicken the broth. Add the sausage again in, stir effectively and prepare dinner one other quarter-hour.
- Serve over brown rice and together with your favourite sizzling sauce.
For extra tastes of New Orleans, right here’s a Fast and Straightforward King Cake recipe and a recipe for Baked Beignets (I notice this can be a bit sacrilegious, form of like used canned beans and turkey kielbasa for genuine pink beans and rice!)
Irrespective of. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Have you ever ever made pink beans and rice? What’s your favourite Cajun, Creole or Louisiana dish?
