SYM Red Beans and Rice

SYM Red Beans and Rice

by Allison

1 onion – half diced, half minced (I like having some bigger pieces for texture, but have some of it kind of melt away as it cooks. I don’t know if this actually makes it taste any differently, but I do it because I think it’s fun.)

1 green pepper - diced

2 stalks of celery – diced

2 cloves of garlic – minced

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Slap Ya Mama Original Cajun Seasoning

oil for sautéing

½ pound of your meat of choice (Ham, sausage, shrimp, chicken, etc. I used 2 sausage links that I found at the grocery store. They were quickly approaching their expiration date and therefore only cost $1.39. They were from Stanley’s Market in North Toledo. Never heard of it, or seen it at the grocery store before, but they are GOOD! Obviously you could omit the meat altogether if you prefer.)

1 cup uncooked rice

2 -15 ounce cans of red beans, drained with liquid reserved (Yes, I should have used dried and soaked them. Part of me was lazy, part of me just hadn’t planned that far in advance. Shoot me.)

Water or stock – enough to make 2 cups, including the reserved bean liquid.

Bay leaf

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped and divided

1. Saute the diced onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, and SYM in oil until the veggies are soft.
2. Add the meat and cooked until no longer pink.
3. Add the uncooked rice and cook for a few minutes to soak up all the juices. (Again, I don’t know if this actually flavors the rice at all, but I do it anyway.)
4. Add water/bean liquid (total 2C), 1Tbsp parsely and bay leaf.
5. Turn heat to high and bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked. (At this point, I was too busy typing out this recipe and have no idea how long this took. I’m guessing 25-30 minutes???)
7. If liquid is gone before the rice is tender, add a bit more water/stock.

Variations:

• Cook the bean mixture on its own and serve over plain white rice. 
• Use shrimp, chicken, ground beef, or ham in place of the sausage. Or, omit the meat entirely. 
• Cook the beans with a hambone. 
• Substitute the Cajun seasoning for some oregano, cumin, and thyme. You will need to season with salt and pepper, as well.