Red beans and rice are a great way to feed a crowd. Find recipes for a meat-based and a plantbased version of the Louisiana classic and two classic Southern sides.

Bryan Lewis, director of operations for the Garden & Gun Club, told me his colleague Gina Lee used to live in New Orleans and that she cooked a mean pot of beans. He was right. Lee turned me on to Cajun Meat Co. in Marietta (cajunmeatcompany.com), a great source for andouille, tasso, Tony Chachere’s seasoning, Camellia beans and many other Louisiana products.

16 ounces red kidney beans, soaked overnight

9 cups stock (chicken or

vegetable)

1 tablespoon olive oil 16 ounces andouille

sausage, sliced 1 tablespoon black pepper 8 ounces tasso ham, diced 1 cup celery, diced

1½ cups green bell pepper,

diced

2 cups onion, diced 2 tablespoons garlic,

minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (Lee uses Tony Chachere’s) ½ teaspoon white vinegar

or Tabasco Cooked white rice

½ cup scallions, sliced

thin

Rinse and drain the beans. Place in a large stockpot with 5 cups of stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then turn heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until beans are tender. Mash about half of the beans with a potato masher. Add 2 more cups of stock, and continue cooking for two hours, stirring occasionally to keep beans from sticking. Add water if necessary.

Meanwhile, place olive oil, andouille and black pepper in a large saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir to coat, and saute until sausage is brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add tasso, celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

When the beans are quite tender, add the sausage and vegetables, plus pan drippings, to the stockpot. Add remaining 2 cups of stock, and cook about 30 minutes. (For creamier beans, you may continue cooking; just be sure to stir regularly and add more water as needed.)

When almost ready to serve, add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Because the andouille and tasso are heavily seasoned, you shouldn’t need much more salt.) Simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 teaspoon of plain white vinegar or Tabasco sauce if you like a little heat.

Serve with rice and top with sliced scallions. Serves 8-10.

Per serving, based on 8, with 1 cup cooked white rice per serving: 793 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 31 grams protein, 97 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber, 29 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 55 milligrams cholesterol, 1,086 milligrams sodium.

STYLING BY WENDELL BROCK / PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS HUNT PHOTOGRAPHY Gina Lee, general manager at the Garden & Gun Club at The Battery Atlanta, married a New Orleans native, and when he’s feeling homesick, she makes him red beans and rice. While the classic dish is a one-pot affair, Lee cooks the components of the dish separately to maintain their distinct flavors.