Bacon And Rice Creole Recipes

LOUISIANA RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Before you begin cooking, soak your red beans in a mix of water and chicken broth.
• While the beans are soaking, dice up your celery, onion, garlic, bacon, and ham into bite-size pieces.
• After two hours, rinse and strain your beans. (You can also soak them overnight to start cooking your red beans in the morning.)
• After the beans are rinsed, heat a stock pot over medium/low heat and melt a tablespoon of butter.
• When your butter is melted, add your bacon and cook it until it is a little crispy.
• Add your diced ham and cook it to get a sear on it. When the bacon is crispy and the ham is seared, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pot, leaving the bacon grease and butter behind.
• Next, add your celery, onion, and garlic in the bacon grease until the onions are translucent.
• Add your bacon and ham back to the pot and then add your bay leaves, parsley, salt, pepper, and Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. (If you do not have Tony's, you can use my Bayou Blast recipe.)
• Then add your chicken broth, then water, and bring it all to a boil.
• When the water is boiling, add the soaked and drained red beans and return to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer over low/medium heat (2 - 3 out of 8 on the stove) for 1 ½ to 2 hours, checking on the beans and giving them a stir every 30 minutes. Make sure to stir all the way down to the bottom of the pot, checking to make sure that the bottom is not burning.
• When you have about 20 - 30 minutes left of cooking time, dice up your smoked sausage and saute it in a frying pan.
• After 1 ½ to 2 hours, remove your beans from the heat and serve over white rice. Garnish with diced pepperoncini peppers, your cooked sausage, and a splash of the vinegar from the jar of peppers.

BACON SHRIMP CREOLE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, bacon, parsley, sugar, salt, thyme, curry powder, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. , Combine flour and remaining water until smooth; gradually stir into tomato mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add shrimp. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Serve with rice.