White beans, seasoned with the Trinity, garlic, green onion, parsley, bacon and andouille sausage, and served over white rice.

Cajun White Beans with Rice

I always have to chuckle when I make these Cajun White Beans because I swear, leave it to us southerners to take a product called Great Northern beans and turn them into a well loved Cajun dish! I love these beans and I especially love to take the leftovers, simmer them on the stovetop with some chicken stock for one mighty fine soup y'all! Delish.

Made similar to red beans and rice, but with much less liquid, resulting in a much thicker, almost stew-like bean dish. If you prefer a thinner bean gravy, just simply use more water and serve them up once they thicken. As the beans sit, they will also continue to thicken, of course. To thin a bit, stir in just a little chicken broth; to make into soup, stir in more. The flavor is already infused into the beans so the broth does not dilute the flavor.

A favorite and most delicious way to serve Cajun White Beans are with shrimp boulettes right in the bowl and a side of cornbread wouldn't hurt either.

Recipe: Cajun White Beans with Rice

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 1 hour 30 min |

Yield: About 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 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
• 2 green onions, sliced
• Palmful 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

Instructions

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 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 your dish and you’ll need to make adjustments in the seasonings you use. I prefer Camellia brand white northern beans

Variation: Use about a pound of ham hocks, or several ham shanks together with or instead of the andouille, adjust seasonings as needed. Can also add in a can of Rotel tomatoes and if desired, add in 1/2 pound of fresh, raw, peeled and deveined shrimp, cooking until shrimp is pink and 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 Crockpot: 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.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Posted by Mary on October 9, 2010

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