Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice Gumbo

closeup-pic-of-red-beans-and-rice

Products for the gumbo

  • 1 pound dry kidney beans
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or sunflower
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Products for the rice

  • 2 cups long grain white rice
  • 4 cups water

Preparation of the gumbo

pressure-cooker

Leave the red beans overnight submerged in a pan filled with water and a tablespoon of salt.

On the next day remove the water and pour a new fresh water in the pan. Heat until it reaches the boiling point.Remove from the stove and discard of the water. Move the bean to a cooker pressure.

Add 8 cups of water. Add one chopped onion . Add the cooking oil (sunflower or olive oil). Place the lid and make sure it is sealed. Boil for another hour after reaching the boiling point (you will hear hissing from the air trying to escape from the pressure cooker).

Turn off the cooking stove and wait for the steam to completely escape from the pressure cooker. You can speed the process by opening the valve on the lid. Once the steam is all gone open the lid and add the sausage, sliced in circles not thicker than 3-4 mm. Add the chopped green bell pepper. If you have celery, chopped it and add it too. Add the bay leaves.

Close the lid (but do not seal it) and boil for another 20 minutes.

Open the lid and add the mined garlic and the Cajun seasoning. Boil for another 5 minutes and then turn of the stove.

Preparation of the rice

Wash the rice with cold water and put it in a pod and add 4 cups of water. Put the lid on and boil for 20 minutes after reaching the boiling point. Boil using a low heat.

Turn the cooking stove off, open the lid and add 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir it until the butter melts completely.