Red Beans

Preparation Pick through beans, removing all bad beans or any other particles. Wash beans well. Place beans in a 5-quart pot. Add the 2 quarts of water. Add onions; bring to a boil. Lower heat and let beans boil slowly for 1 hour. When beans are soft, stir well, mashing some against the side of the pot. Heat oil in frying pan; add ham and sausage. Sauté in oil for 5 mintues. Then add the sausage, ham, and oil to beans. Deglaze pan with the cup of water, then pour into beans. Add all other ingredients. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Beans should be nice and creamy. Serve over rice. Leah Chase shares her tips with Epicurious:· Red beans are a perfect low-maintenance but hearty choice. "They practically cook themselves," Chase says. Just be sure to stir them occasionally to make sure they don't burn. You can also prepare them in a slow-cooker. · If you'd like to cut down on the cooking time, many cooks choose to soak their beans in water beforehand, Chase says. Clean and sort the beans as directed, then leave them in a bowl, just covered with water, overnight or several hours ahead. · If you prefer a more pronounced garlic flavor, add the garlic more toward the end of the cooking. "It will have a more powerful taste that way," Chase says.

Preparation Pick through beans, removing all bad beans or any other particles. Wash beans well. Place beans in a 5-quart pot. Add the 2 quarts of water. Add onions; bring to a boil. Lower heat and let beans boil slowly for 1 hour. When beans are soft, stir well, mashing some against the side of the pot. Heat oil in frying pan; add ham and sausage. Sauté in oil for 5 mintues. Then add the sausage, ham, and oil to beans. Deglaze pan with the cup of water, then pour into beans. Add all other ingredients. Let simmer for 30 minutes. Beans should be nice and creamy. Serve over rice. Leah Chase shares her tips with Epicurious:· Red beans are a perfect low-maintenance but hearty choice. "They practically cook themselves," Chase says. Just be sure to stir them occasionally to make sure they don't burn. You can also prepare them in a slow-cooker. · If you'd like to cut down on the cooking time, many cooks choose to soak their beans in water beforehand, Chase says. Clean and sort the beans as directed, then leave them in a bowl, just covered with water, overnight or several hours ahead. · If you prefer a more pronounced garlic flavor, add the garlic more toward the end of the cooking. "It will have a more powerful taste that way," Chase says.