Red Beans and Rice

One of my favorite Louisiana dishes is red beans and rice. Perhaps that is because it is the Louisiana dish I remember my mom cooking most often growing up. There is something really comforting about a bowl of steaming rice, beans, and sausage (or if recollection serves me, in my mom's case, smoked ham hocks). I came across this little blog post today on the subject and it made me wish I had a bowl of beans soaking at home.

And, for the record, I'm in complete agreement with him on the Camellia beans. I had never even tasted canned red beans in red beans and rice until very recently. There's nothing wrong with them per se, but for some reason they just lack something. Hours soaking in a bowl on the counter, another few hours cooking low and slow in a cast iron pot, it all adds up to a bowl that tastes more like home.