Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced ¼-inch-thick **
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 large yellow onions, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked according to package directions, soaking liquid reserved
2 bay leaves
2 dried chile peppers
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup chopped green onion
4 cups cooked white or brown long grain rice
Garnish: chopped green onions and parsley

Directions

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, stirring occasionally, until browned; remove and set aside.

Add garlic and onion, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; add celery and bell peppers, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Pour soaked beans and 3 cups reserved soaking liquid into Dutch oven. Add bay leaves, dried peppers, salt, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, pepper, and sage.

Simmer until beans are soft, about 1 hour. Remove 1 cup beans. Using a fork, mash beans, and return to pot. Add reserved andouille, parsley, and green onion; simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve over rice with French bread, if desired.

Garnish with chopped green onion and chopped parsley, if desired.

** You can substitute using Conecuh® Hickory Smoked Sausage