Texas Red Beans and Rice

Comfort food—Texas-style.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound dried red beans
1 meaty ham bone
1/4 pound salt pork
2 quarts water
1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/4 pound smoked sausage, sliced
Hot cooked rice for accompaniment

Cooking Directions:

1. Sort and wash peas; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2-inches above peas; let soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain; return beans to Dutch oven. Add ham bone, salt pork and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Remove meat from ham bone and coarsely chop meat; discard the bone and salt pork.
2. Add chopped meat, tomatoes and next 8 ingredients to beans; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Add sausage, and simmer, uncovered, an additional hour, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve ladled over hot cooked rice.

Makes 8 servings.