I'm making Cajun Red Beans & Rice. Ask me anything!

[deucemagnet]

Long story short: Red beans and rice was a necessary staple during grad school. Now, more than a year after graduation, I found myself craving it. The entire house smells wonderful, and I have over an hour to kill before it's ready.

Ask away!

[Squatch]

1. How much sodium per serving?

[deucemagnet]

3. I can't say precisely

The amount of salt I add is to taste, and varies greatly according to what kind of meat I add (cured, smoked, or none).

edit: sp.

[leftofthedial]

2. how do you know it's not Creole red beans and rice?

:shrug:

[deucemagnet]

5. Well, the original recipe said "Cajun"

As I understand it, the dish was originally Creole and was adopted by the Cajuns. As a cook, I view recipes as rough guides rather than hard-and-fast rules, so my recipe has probably evolved into something that is neither Cajun nor Creole. For example, I like to add two packets of Goya Sazon con culantro y achiote and I prefer using smoked turkey necks over ham hocks or sausage.

[leftofthedial]

8. two packets of whatever that is

sounds like a lot of whatever that is . . . ;-)

I'm the same way. My favorite "recipes" are actually methodologies or patterns that I adapt to whatever I have on hand or is fresh at the market.


but if you are eschewing the pork fat, it's definitely neither Cajun nor Creole . . .

[deucemagnet]

9. Yeah, I figured I'd probably deviated from Cajun/Creole...

...especially since I find the best ingredients in supermarkets that cater to a latin clientele. I certainly wouldn't want to start another foodie flamewar around here!

BTW, the Goya seasoning in basically MSG, cilantro and annato. I guess it's just my variation on a classic dish. Also, as an aside, as an undergraduate in college, one of the guys I shared a house with was from somewhere in the West Indies (Trinidad, I think) and he made basically the same dish, which he called "Peas and Rice" with coconut milk.

On edit: the instructions for using Goya Sazon call for one packet for every two servings, so I'm using less than half the reccomended amount.

[leftofthedial]

11. virtually every culture has its "red beans and rice" equivalent

of a legume, a starch and spices

it's great basic, delicious, healthy food

I'm jealous! Enjoy.

[deucemagnet]

12. That it is.

In graduate school, I was sometimes able to feed myself on beans and rice for the better part of a week on the money from returned beer bottles. This time, I'm doing it because I *want* to.

Thirty minutes to go! :yum:

[Dukkha]

4. got corn bread to go with it?

I made Jambalaya last week. mmmm!

[deucemagnet]

6. No, I'm afraid I'm a hopeless yankee when it comes to cornbread.

I bought some fresh french rolls from a local bakery to go along with the finished product. Jambalaya sounds good! It's been quite a while since I've attempted Jambalaya!

[Taverner]

7. Are you using File?

And if not - why not?

[deucemagnet]

10. No, I've never used file, for two reasons.

1) I live in the north, and I've never been able to find it, and
2) I've read that file powder is carcinogenic, and most recipes I've read have cautioned against using it.

My recipe has veered towards more of a latin version of the dish (as per my post above), mostly because of the ingredients available to me north of the mason-dixon.

[kskiska]

13. It's best made with Blue Runner beans (Regular or Creamy)

That's what everyone in NOLA uses.

http://www.bluerunnerfoods.com/