Red Beans and Rice

• 1 lb. dried red beans
• 1/2 lb. bacon or fat from a fresh or smoked ham, salt pork, or pork belly
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried summer savory
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. Tabasco, plus more to taste
• Salt
• 6 cups cooked long grain rice
• 1 Tbsp. chopped green onion tops, for garnish
• 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Sort through the beans and pick out any bad or misshapen ones.
2. Soak the beans in cold water overnight.
3. When ready to cook, pour off the soaking water.
4. Fry the bacon or ham fat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven until crisp.
5. Remove the bacon or ham fat and set aside for garnish (or a snack while you cook).
6. In the hot fat, saute the garlic, celery, bell pepper, and onion until the vegetables just begin to brown.
7. Add the beans and 1 gallon (16 cups) of water.
8. Bring to a light boil, then lower to a simmer.
9. Add the bay leaf, savory, black pepper, and Tabasco.
10. Simmer the beans for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
11. After about 1 1/2 hours, fish out about 1/2 cup of beans and mash them.
12. Return the mashed beans to the pot.
13. Smash more of them if you like your beans extra creamy.
14. Add a little water if the sauce gets too thick.
15. Add salt and more Tabasco to taste.
16. Serve the beans over rice cooked firm.
17. Garnish with chopped green onion and parsley.

red beans, bacon, garlic, celery, green bell pepper, yellow onion, bay leaf, freshly ground black pepper, salt, long grain rice, green onion, flatleaf parsley

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/red-beans-and-rice (may not work)