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Cajun Red Beans and Rice Soup
PAIR WITH
Blue Corn and Maple Skillet Bread
(PAGE 152)
Gluten-Free Corn Muffins
(PAGE 167)
A Cajun “holy trinity” of onions, celery, and bell pepper forms the backbone of this zesty soup. Red beans, long-grain rice, fresh Cajun sausage, and a swig of lager make it the ideal supper for Mardi Gras, or any Tuesday for that matter
.
SERVES
4 TO 6
ACTIVE TIME
20
MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
50
MINUTES
1
1
/
4
lb [570 g] chicken or fresh pork Cajun sausages, casings discarded
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 cup [240 ml] lager beer
2 cups [480 ml] chicken broth
(see page 17)
One 28-oz [800-g] can diced tomatoes with juice
1
1
/
2
cups [255 g] cooked small red beans
(see page 19)
, or one 15-oz [425-g] can red beans, rinsed and drained
1
/
2
cup [100 g] long-grain rice
2 bay leaves
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce, for serving
1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.
Pinch off bite-size dabs of the sausage meat and place on the baking sheet.
Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
3.
While the sausage cooks, heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and thyme and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and Cajun seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
4.
Add the beer to the pot and cook, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the beer has reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, rice, and bay leaves.
Cover the pot and bring to a simmer.
5.
With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the pot, discarding the drippings.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the rice is just tender, 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
6.
Ladle the soup into bowls.
Serve immediately, and pass the hot sauce at the table.
GET AHEAD:
The flavor of this soup improves with time. Store in airtight containers or zip-top plastic freezer bags in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The rice will absorb a lot of the liquid, so add additional broth when reheating to adjust the consistency, if desired. This soup does not freeze well.