I left a few pots out to do a wee bit of cooking over the next two weeks. So today, here's the world's simplest red beans and rice recipe:
Ingredients:
-- Badtux the Cajun Penguin
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I don't spend much time in grocery stores, and can't recall ever seeing Tapiato brand.
ReplyDeleteIs there a substitute?
Is it anything like Tobasco? If so, I'd say you have a rather stout palette.
Cheers!
JzB the spicy trombonist
It's the Mexican equivalent of water, Jazz. It's sold by the gallon in Mexican groceries, and I've become quite fond of it because in addition to red pepper, it also has black pepper, salt, and garlic in it. If you substitute Tabasco, add a pinch of black pepper also, otherwise it doesn't come out right. As for my palate, err, I'm from Louisiana, mon ami :).
ReplyDelete- Badtux the Cajun Penguin
What kind of beans are you using for this pot? Red? Navy?
ReplyDeleteI know tapatio well :) Some like cholula better, but I don't.
Is it any good, like the real La. thing, or is it something you'd eat on a camping trip or as survival food after the collapse when the grocery stores have all been looted?
ReplyDeleteI don't order red beans 'n' rice anywhere outside the Deep South (where I hardly ever go any more) because I've had so many crap-worthy versions elsewhere. Po' boys and muffalettas still sucker me in when I see them on a menu, though. Almost always as shitty as non-Southern red beans, sadly, particularly muffalettas.
Today in a Turkish grocery store on the east side of Vancouver, we saw a tub of something labeled muffaletta sauce in their deli case, next to the Bulgarian feta and harissa. They make it right there. Turks. Go figure. We didn't buy any, because it had green peppers in the blend, and Mrs. Bukko is allergic to them. I may ride over there and buy some anyway for myself. I have a weakness for weird Middle Eastern food.
This is sort of halfway between, Bukko. To be the real thing it needs a chunk of tasso (a highly cured ham product), or at the very least a chunk of salt pork or hog jowl if you want to get some authentic fatty pork flavor (which definitely *does* make it taste better, we're engineered to like what fat does to the dish, I think). But it's a lot closer than what you'd get at a typical shop. I just finished eating a bunch of it, and didn't have any problem getting it down :).
ReplyDelete- Badtux the Culinary Penguin
Nunya, I think I said "red beans and rice" up above, which implies it's red beans :). For navy beans, I would not use the sausage and would not serve it over rice, I'd use a chunk of highly cured ham or salt pork and then serve it with corn bread and either collard greens or turnip greens depending upon the season. I remember my grandmother cooking that for me a few times... damn I miss her. Sighhhhh....
ReplyDelete- Badtux the Culinary Penguin
I do a lot of cooking in a crock pot and you don't need to pre soak beans and such like that.
ReplyDelete1 lb quality sausage (preferably andouille, but any good-quality sausage will work).
Or with my old hand cranked meat grinders any stray dog will do just fine.
Cat's? Na, not enough meat on them to bother skinning them.
I make this with bison pepperoni for sausage and Tabasco brand chipotle hot sauce. Sometimes with little red beans, sometimes with black! Oh, yum...and just like that, I am hungry!
ReplyDeleteAnd yet no mention of the perfect accompaniment -- cornbread!
ReplyDeleteTwo thoughts: First, use the Julia Child reduced "rooty-toot-toot" soaking method... soak each pound of beans in at least six quarts of water overnight. Drain, rinse, and proceed with recipe. I actually use a 5-gallon bucked to soak three pounds at a time when I make em', not very often. Gas issues are substantially reduced (generally considered a good thing).
ReplyDeleteSecondly, try using Frank's Hot Sauce. It has infinitely more flavor than Tabasco. Cook's Illustrated says that "Tabasco is an ingredient, Frank's is a condiment." I'd go with your suggestion to add a bit of black pepper. If you want it hotter, add a bit of cayenne, or a splash of Tabasco.
Labrys - hmm, haven't tried it with pepperoni. My current batch was with a spicy hot link sausage, that worked out well. I bet pepperoni would give an interesting taste though.
ReplyDeleteDope - Yes, cornbread is good with this dish, but if you bought it in the French Quarter, they'd serve you french bread.
Bruce - definitely yes on the soak/rinse thing, that's what I did. Regarding hot sauce, I agree that Tabasco is lacking here. If it's what you got, it's what you use, but the Tapatio that I get by the quart at my local Mexican grocery has infinitely more flavor to it than the Tabasco, which is basically red pepper and vinegar and that's all the flavor it has, thus you need to add a bit of black pepper and salt if you're going to use Tabasco. I've not seen your Bruce's hot sauce here on the left coast.
- Badtux the Food Penguin
I am very picky about the pepperoni; we have a meat shop down the road that makes it of venison, or bison. It is the only one I use and it is just delicious...a tiny bit goes a long way in flavor and texture.
ReplyDeleteI understand that Frank's has a different name in the West. I went to their website, and there is no mention of a different name. I emailed asking if the different name is still around and what it is.
ReplyDelete