#SundaySupper Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

This week’s Sunday Supper topic was to make a dish by our favorite celebrity chef. I don’t know about you, but my husband and I LOVE Emeril’s recipes. They are always so flavorful. They often use one of his spice blends, although this one does not, which really add a punch to the dish they are being used in. I prefer to prepare his spice blends at home, over purchasing them in the store. They taste better and homemade blends tend to have less sodium than the store bought ones.

Now deciding which Emeril recipe to share proved to not be too difficult. It happened to be the weekend after Thanksgiving when I was deciding what to make and I had a hamhock to do something with. Well, I had recently been perusing a new local restaurant’s menu and saw they serve Red Beans & Rice on Monday and call it Laundry Night. Apparently, in New Orleans (one my most favorite cities in the world) back in the day, the women of the household would let Red Beans simmer on the stove all day Monday, using the hamhock from Sunday night’s dinner, while they tended to the laundry.

I liked the story and loved the thought of Red Beans bubbling away in the crockpot all day. When looking for a recipe, I stumbled upon this one, and knowing Emeril never disappoints, eagerly bought the ingredients and got started. I doubled this recipe so my hubby and I would have some and so I could take a batch to ladies at work for lunch. It was a hit with him and the office…as if there was any doubt :0)

Do you like Emeril? What’s your favorite Emeril Recipe? (I also adore his Jambalaya)

Red Beans & Rice served with Jalapeno Cornbread

Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

printable recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons evoo
• 1 chopped onion
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 hamhock
• 2 links of Andouille (Patak is my favorite and I highly recommend if you can get your hands on it)
• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted through, soaked overnight and drained
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 to 10 cups water
• white rice (I love to make mine in the rice cooker)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes. Pour into a crockpot. Add the bay leaves, hamhock, sausage, beans, garlic, and enough water to cover the contents. Cook on low all day (about 6-8 hours). Use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side of the pot before serving. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy but not watery. Remove the bay leaves and serve with white rice.

Check out more tasty recipes featuring celebrity chefs from my fellow #SundaySupper foodies:

Starters or Snacks :

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog – Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper

Linda at The Urban Mrs. – Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa

Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts – Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn

Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings – Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup

Jeff at The Catholic Foodie – Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh

Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee – Giada De Laurentiis’ Garlic Toasts With Red Pepper Aioli

The Main Dish:

Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples

Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun

Claire at The Realistic Nutritionist – Alton Brown’s 40 Cloves and a Chicken

Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends – Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots

Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen – Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi

Katy over at Happy Baking Days – Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart

Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Lee Drummond’s Sloppy Joe’s

Lane over at Supper for a Steal – Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken

Tara from Noshing with the Nolands – Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini

Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by, Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos

Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene – Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf

Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes – Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches

Becca from It’s Yummilicious – Ina Garten’s Grown Up Mac & Cheese

Alice at Hip Foodie Mom – Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon

Jen over at Juanita’s Cocina – The Neely’s White Turkey Chili

Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips – Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

Isabel at Family Foodie – Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English

Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet – Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce, From Emeril Lagasse

Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen – Cheesy Poblano Chicken

Patti at Comfy Cuisine – Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese

Chris from Sustainable Dad – Pork Tenderloin with Jerusalem Artichokes and Negroni Vinaigrette

Roxanne over at The Roxx Box – Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille

Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom – Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda and Prosciutto. Adapted from, Giada De Laurentiis’

Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s pickled pork

Amazing Sides:

Megan from I Run For Wine – Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme

Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip – Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate

Shelby at Diabetic Foodie – Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten

Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles – Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto

Sweet Endings:

Kim over at Cravings of a Lunatic – Chocolate Cream Puffs with Hazelnut Filling

Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart

Connie at The Foodie Army Wife – Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake

Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes – Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart

Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake

Amber at Mama’s Blissful Bites – Huggy Buggy Bread Pudding

Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen – Southern Tea Cakes

Amy over at Kimchi MOM – Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You

Lyn from The Lovely Pantry – Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares

Melanie at From Fast Food to Fresh Food – Sand Tarts

Wine Pairings:

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Please join on us via Twitter for #SundaySupper on December 2, 2012, throughout the day. In the evening, we will meet at 7 PM EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

A Little Sweet and a Little Savory

An argument that may go on to the end of time: Stuffing or Dressing?

I like both, but when it comes to me preparing it, I vote for dressing.

This is another hit recipe from Thanksgiving and the leftovers were just a tasty the second and third time (hot or cold). Again, Jim said this was the best dressing he’s ever had…but he’s been saying that a lot lately. Not sure if my cooking skills are just getting better, or if he just really loves it when I’m doing the cooking. Either one is good in my book!

Dressing mixed and ready to go in the oven

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

Ingredients

• 16-ounce bag stuffing cubes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
• 1 pound of your favorite sausage (I used Andouille)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cooking apples, such as Gravenstein, Rome, or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon dried sage

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color (if a raw sausage) but not so much that it’s dry, about 5 minutes. If using a sausage that’s already smoked, let it cook about five minutes to steep it’s flavor into the butter. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, parsley and sage and bring to a boil.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Serve immediately or warm.

Related articles

• Artichoke, Sausage and Parmesan Stuffing (savoringeverybite.wordpress.com)
• Well Blog: Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Stuffings (well.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Meatless Monday with Vegetarian Holiday Dinner (planetforward.ca)

Fist-Pumping Polenta

When I brought a box of polenta home, Jim got so excited he did a fist-pump (which he may, or may not, admit to).  I usually make something fun with polenta and this Sunday night was no different.  I included my two current obsessions: Meyer Lemons (because, who isn’t?) and Serrano Chili Peppers.  The recipe already called for lemon, but I added the serrano to (to quote a wise man), “kick it up a notch.”  That it did.  If you’re not a fan of heat, then you can easily leave it out, but take caution with the Andouille, as it’s often is on the spicy side.  This  delicious one-dish meal is perfect for during the week and pairs nicely with a tossed salad and a crisp white wine (and you can take yummy leftovers for lunch).

Andouille Dijon Polenta (with a kick)

4 servings

• 1 Cup polenta
• 3 Cup chicken stock
• 3/4 Lb Andouille sauage, ground or casings removed
• 1 White onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 Cup spinach, chopped
• 1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 Cup white wine
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 Teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 Teaspoon lemon zest
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon of butter, broken into quarters (optional)
• 1 Teaspoon tarragon, chopped
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan on medium high heat add andouille sausage and cook all the way through – about five minutes.

1. Once the andouille is browned, add the diced onion and serrano chili and cook in the fat from the sausage for about three to five minutes or until the onions are translucent.
2. Add the chicken stock to the pan, and bring to a boil on high heat. Once the stock is boiling, slowly whisk in the polenta.
3. Reduce the heat of the pan and periodically stir the polenta to prevent clumping for about ten minutes or until the stock seems to have been absorbed by the polenta.  (I use instant polenta so this just takes about a minute.)
4. Meanwhile, make the Dijon sauce by adding the white wine and heavy whipping cream to a smaller sauté pan on low heat. Whisk for about a minute, then add the Dijon, garlic paste, tarragon, and lemon zest. Continue to whisk for another few minutes so that all the ingredients are properly incorporated.
5. Stir the dijon sauce and chopped spinach into the polenta, ensuring that all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Top with a few pats of butter and season with some hefty pinches of salt and pepper. Serve as a side or make it your main course with a simple salad.

Sausage, Onion and Serranos sauteeing before adding chicken stock*

 

*Sorry for the not so great pic.  Lost my camera charger in NOLA and using phone for now…

Related Articles

• Five recipes for the Meyer Lemon (eatocracy.cnn.com)
• Meal Planning Monday for the week of January 10, 2011 (citymama.com)
• Your best citrus recipes (salon.com)

Weekly Menu

About once a month I get organized enough to plan out our menu for the week.  And write it down.  On the chalkboard I bought for the kitchen for just that purpose {ideally every week, but once a month isn’t too bad of a start}.   Tuesday night I have Junior League and Thursday I’ll be out of town, so Jim will have to fend for himself or eat leftovers.

Anywho, I picked my recipes, hit the grocery and the Farmer’s Market and am prepared for a week of delicious, homemade meals.  Every night has {at least} one dish I’ve never made before. 

I’m looking forward to sharing these recipes and hope you’ll join me in expanding your taste buds and experimenting with some new flavors!

A week of dishes in February {made the Hot Tub Chicken with a side of Green Beans w/ shallots, feta and Meyer Lemon tonight. Ah-mazing!}.

Related Articles

• How Should I Use My First-Ever Bag of Meyer Lemons? Good Questions (thekitchn.com)

Si, quiero Paella

I have a new favorite foodie website.  It’s full of creative recipes accompainied by gorgeous photos.  Take a peek:

Food 52

I have prepared over a half a dozen recipes in the past few weeks, and everything has been outstanding.  Seriously.  These are blow your hair back kinda concoctions. I had a taste for Paella about  a month ago and stumbled upon this recipe.  OMG. It’s soo good, I’ve already made it twice this month.  I considered having a Spanish themed Thanksgiving so I could make it a third.

I tweaked the original recipe a little by adding some additional meats/seafood, but this is definitely a dish I’ll be making for years to come…especially for company.  It’s soooo good, soooo easy and everyone thinks it’s a really exotic and difficult dish to make. And it’s okay to let ’em keep thinking that ;0)

Sextuple Surprise Paella

Triple Surprise Paella (or sextuple, in this case)

Serves 4

• 4 Chicken drumsticks (I like to use chicken wings)
• 3 Links of Pork Chorizo (I used one Andouille and one Chorizo)
• 1 pound Shrimp (shelled and deveined), seasoned with salt and pepper
• ½ pound mussels
• ½ pound crab legs
• 3 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 Med. Red Onion (sliced)
• 2 cups Bell pepper (diced, assorted colors)
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
• 3/4 cups Olives (sliced, assorted types – green and kalamata work great)
• 1/2 teaspoon Fresh thyme leaves (whole)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin (ground)
• 1/4 teaspoon Saffron springs (can be found behind the pastry counter at the DeKalb Farmer’s Market — $7.99/gram)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• evoo (for pan)

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF
2. In a 12″ saute pan (or 18″ paella pan) add enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Put pan over medium to high heat.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and sear both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place chorizo in pan and sear both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Add onion to pan and cook until soft.
6. Add garlic, peppers and olives. Continue to saute for 5 – 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Add rice and saute for 3 – 5 minutes (until rice begins to toast)
8. Add chicken stock.
9. Add cumin, saffron, bay leaves and thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Add chicken and chorizo to pan. Arrange in decorative fashion. Cover with foil.
11. Place pan in preheated oven. Cook for 45 minutes.
12. Add shrimp, mussels and crab legs and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve.

Gettin' started

Toasting the Arborio rice

You can sub Turmeric (poor man's Saffron) for Saffron threads

Going in the oven

Ready to be topped with seafood

Delicious one-dish dinner

Check out the original recipe here.

Tweet

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

What better way to enjoy Fat Tuesday (and think about what I’ll be giving up Wednesday) than with a big pot of jambalaya? This dish wouldn’t be complete without the addition of shrimp, chicken, Patak andouille and a sinus-cleansing dose of cayenne. Next time I make this, I’ll double the recipe — there was barely enough for the two of us to have leftovers for lunch!

A hearty pot of Jambalaya

Jambalaya

• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, chopped (You can buy it already cooked, or raw, and just throw it in)
• 1 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
• 2 links Andouille sausage, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Emeril’s Creole seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 1/2 chopped bell pepper,any color
• 2 ribs chopped celery
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I use 3 Roma)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 3/4 cup white rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken, Andouille and Creole seasoning, and mix well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and you’re ready to serve! (Warning: this is a spicy dish, not for anyone that can’t handle heat.)