Red Beans and Rice

[ 0 ] March 4, 2009 |

Red Beans and Rice

1 cup kidney beans (dried)
5 cup water
1 smoked ham hock
2 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 cup rice

Soak the beans overnight in 5 cups of water in the refrigerator. Drain the beans and place in a large pot. Add in 4 cups of water, the ham hock, salt, red pepper and thyme. Heat to boiling, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until beans are almost tender (about an hour). Stir in 1 cup of water and the rice into the beans; heat to boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered until the rice and beans are tender and the liquid is absorbed (25-30 minutes). Check the seasonings (*Do you like how it tastes??) and if measures up, Serve;-)

*Johnna’s tip: Gotta love the benefits of red beans…fiber, protein, iron, and the list goes on and on… Adding red beans to a salad is a great idea also…of course, you would want to use the canned kidney beans (drained) for this type of endeavor;-) Mix with rice, a salad or whatever you see fit. They are such an asset to our diet so add them in some way, some how.

Picture source: http://guidrysfoods.com/recipes/rice_beans.cfm

Category: cultural cooking, side dish

About the Author ()

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.

Leave a Reply