Mardi Gras Way Back in the Alley – Tuesday at 9pm

Big Daddy Cain will be celebrating Mardi Gras this week on Way Back in the Alley Blues.

Here’s a recipe for red beans and rice from Queen Ida’s Cookbook:

1/2 lb dried pinto or red beans

1/4 cup chopped onion

1tsp salt

6-7 cups of water

1/4 tsp rack of black and white pepper

1/4 cup bacon fat

1/4 pound salt pork or ham hock, or ham

1/4 cup chopped green onions

3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1-2 fresh hot peppers(cayenne, Serrano, or jalapeño or 1 tsp of dried cayenne

1 bay leaf

Pick over beans removing anything that is not a bean. Wash beans well. In a deep pot, combine beans, onion, salt, and 6-7 cups water to cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Add black and white pepper and bacon fat. Simmer uncovered at least an hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water if liquid evaporated too quickly.

Meanwhile to use ham hock, drop into boiling water, reduce heat, and simmer until tender (about an hour). Cut meat into bite-size pieces. If using ham needs no special preparation, except cutting up.

After beans have cooked about an hour, add meat and remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, scooping from the bottom of the pot to make sure beans don’t stick and burn. Add more water if beans dry out too quickly.Simmer until a bean flattens when you barely touch it (about 1 hour longer). If liquid fails to thicken, increase heat and boil rapidly until consistency of a thin gravy. If consistency is too thick, add 1/2 cup water and simmer 15 mins longer.

Remove the bay leaf before serving.