Pableaux’s Monday Night Red Beans & Rice

3 tablespoons oil

1 pound good smoked sausage, preferably andouille, sliced into coins 2 medium onions, chopped Tony Cachere’s Creole

Seasoning

Salt and pepper

5 to 8 garlic cloves, minced 1 rib celery, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped 1 pound red kidney beans,

soaked

1 tablespoon dried basil Pinch rubbed sage

3 bay leaves

1 bunch green onions,

chopped

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley,

minced

Crystal Hot Sauce Cooked rice for serving

Instructions: Heat oil in a large heavy pot. Brown the sausage, stirring frequently, to render as much fat as possible. When well browned, remove sausage from the pot and drain on paper towels. Add onions to pot and season with lots of Tony’s, salt and pepper.

Cook onions over medium heat, stirring frequently, until well browned.

Add garlic and cook 5 to 10 minutes; add celery and bell pepper and cook until translucent.

Drain water off the soaked red beans and add beans to the pot. Cover with fresh water. Rub the basil between the palms of your hands as you add it to the pot. Add sage and bay leaves. Add sausage back to the pot and stir well.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 to 1½ hours. When beans are tender, mash some with a potato masher until the mixture looks creamy.

Stir in the chopped green onions and most of the parsley, reserving some parsley for diners to add at the table. Season well with Crystal Hot Sauce.

Serve hot with cooked rice, extra parsley and more hot sauce.

Makes 8 servings