Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans, not kidney beans, sorted and rinsed

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if using a fatty sausage, render some of the fat from the meat)

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 stalk celery, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 pound tasso, andouille, or other sausage, such as garlic sausage, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices

• 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cayenne

• 8 to 10 cups water

• 4 to 5 cups cooked white rice

• Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Cover the beans with water and let stand overnight.

Heat the oil in a large pot. Saute the onion, garlic, and celery in the oil until soft. Add the beans, parsley, bay leaf, tasso, cayenne, and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the beans are soft, about 1 to 2 hours.

As it cooks, the beans may start to get creamy. If the beans get soft and the broth is still thin, take a few beans, put them in a sieve, and mash through with a wooden spoon.

Serve over the rice and garnished with plenty of chopped parsley.