Ingredients

1 lb dry dark red kidney beans

8 C. water

Optional: 1 t. ham soup base

1 T. oil

1 ham bone with meat, or 1/2 lb sausage sliced

1 large onion, diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 rib celergy, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1/4 C. fresh parsley, chopped

3 bay leaves

2 t. salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1/2 t. black pepper

Preparation

  1. Rinse and clean up beans. Soak in water overnight.
  2. Separately, brown ham bone (and sausage if not cooked) in stock pot in oil. Set aside bone (and sausage). Retain pan and its oil/grease.
  3. Saute veggies in same pan/oil/grease until soft. Remove and retain.
  4. Put beans/water and ham bone in stock pot. Bring to boil, then cook for one hour over moderate heat (slow boil). 5 Mash up about 1/2 the beans in the stock pot.
  5. Add 2-4 links diced, cooked andouille sausage, ham bone, and everything else to the pot and cook uncovered over low heat for 1.5-2 hours, adding water as needed.
  6. Serve over rice