Ingredients
1 pound dried red kidney beans
1 pound smoked sausage links, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
2 bay leaves
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, leaves and all, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ham bone, most most of the meat removed and reserved, or 2 smoked ham hocks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Preparation
1.Soak the kidney beans in 6 cups of water overnight. Drain well.
Heat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until nicely browned. Remove the sausage and reserve to put back later.
Add bay leaves, onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Add ham bone, drained beans, and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to just a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are very tender. Stir occasionally, making sure to scrape any beans from the bottom of the pot that may have stuck. Add more water if the mixture is too thick. For a creamy consistency, mash some beans against side of the pot with back of a spoon.
Add browned sausage and any bits of ham, and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over rice, garnished with parsley and hot sauce.
