N'awlins Inspired Black Beans And Cajun Sausage

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 14 ounces dried black beans, medium sized bag, soak and drained twice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon instant minced garlic or 3 fresh garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• kosher salt
• 1 lime, juice of
• 1/2 teaspoon lime rind
• 12 ounces chicken stock, canned ok
• 2 -3 smoked ham hocks
• 1 lb cajun sausage

Recipe

• 1 cook sausage with 1/2 cup water in large heavy bottomed pot that the beans will be cooked in, allow water to dissipate and sausage to brown until you have a good fond going on in the pan. once you have a good caramelized pan, remove the sausage allow to cool and fridge them.
• 2 drain grease and replace with tablespoon of a light flavored oil and saute/brown your onion - salt, add celery - salt, all spices and saute till translucent - avoid burning your fond! add stock to deglaze pan.
• 3 add ham hocks (note: these tend to shed bone shards, avoid stirring once these are in the mix. remove them after cooking is complete and pull the meat off the bone on a separate plate. add the meat back into the mix).
• 4 add beans.
• 5 add enough water to just cover beans/ham hocks bring the party to a boil then reduce heat and cook until beans are soft. i used a pressure cooker, the whole meal was done in 30 minutes -- with that said, only allow pressure to get it's initial burst of steam then bring down the heat to a low simmer -- beans can foam up and clog your cooker - always monitor this process.).
• 6 while awaiting the beans to soften, prep lime and the lime rind, cut sausage into bite size chunks - taste sausage for heat and adjust to your preference. consider some cayenne to the mix. the chipotle pepper does provide a subtle heat that will make your forhead sweat but no significant affect to the tongue.
• 7 once the beans are cooked, add remaining ingredients and simmer another 10 minutes. i like my beans a bit soupy so i choose not to thicken it. to help thicken the dish, food process 1/3 of the beans into a paste then reincorperate them.
• 8 serve over rice, perhaps corn bread or fried plantains.
• 9 garnish
• 10 chopped red bell pepper & scallions.