Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 medium onions, finely diced, divided
- 1½ bell peppers, finely diced, divided
- 15 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 1½ jalapeño, stemmed, seed and finely diced
- 1/2 pound dried red kidney beans
- 1¼ pounds pickled pork, soaked overnight, rinsed and ground or finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1¾ quarts chicken stock, divided
- 1/2 pound andouille sausage, finely diced
- 1 cup flour, divided
- 2 cups cooked Louisiana popcorn rice
- 1-2 dashes hot sauce, preferably Crystal
- paprika, to taste
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 poached eggs
- 1 cup hollandaise with small diced tasso ham
- green onions, sliced on the bias, to garnish
Chef notes
The king of egg dishes is named after the king of jazz. As we celebrate the festival season, it's impossible to not think of Louis Armstrong. Since he signed his name "Red Beans and Ricely Yours," we think this jazzy dish does him justice. It is such an iconic brunch dish, an all-time favorite of ours. The salty, almost sweet flavor of the pickled pork, creamy and spicy red bean sauce with Louisiana rice, flavorful andouille, plump poached eggs and tangy hollandaise sauce make it irresistible.
Technique tips: Don't salt the beans until they are tender; the pickled pork will season the pot. Add vinegar to the water when poaching the eggs; it will help coagulate the whites around the yolk. Beans, eggs and rice cakes can all be made the day before. If poaching your eggs in advance, cook them gently until they are just set and place them in an ice water bath. This will stop the cooking immediately. Store poached eggs in water, in the refrigerator. Place the eggs back into simmering water to reheat.
Swap option: Swap rice for potatoes. Swap andouille for your favorite smoked sausage. Swap ham or sausage for pickled pork (it can be hard to find in some places).
Preparation
1.Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot over high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions, bell peppers, garlic and all of the celery and jalapeño. Turn heat to medium and cook until onions begin to turn opaque. Add red beans, pickled pork, bay leaf and 1½ quarts of chicken stock to pot and bring to a simmer. Cook beans for about 2 hours or until tender. Stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking.
2.In another heavy bottom pot on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and diced andouille sausage, and render until nice and golden brown. Add the remainder of the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until onions begin to turn opaque. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour and stir until flour is incorporated.
3.Add cooked rice to sausage mixture and 1/2 cup chicken stock, and cook on low for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining stock if your mix is too tight, but remember you want your cakes to hold their shape; it should not be wet, all stock should be absorbed. Spread rice and sausage mixture on a baking sheet and cool completely in the refrigerator.
4.Season beans with hot sauce and paprika to your taste. Allow beans to cool slightly before handling. With a hand blender, in a blender or in a food processor, puree beans to sauce consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. The pickled pork will add a lot of flavor, so best not to add salt until the end.
5.Remove chilled rice mixture from the refrigerator. Portion into 6 rectangle squares. Dust rice cakes generously in flour.
6.Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet or well-seasoned pan over high heat, about 2 minutes. Be sure you have enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan. Place cakes in the pan and fry them until they start to become brown and crisp, about 2½ minutes. Reduce the heat if they are browning too quickly. Turn cakes over and brown for another 2 minutes until they are golden brown, crispy and hot in the center.
7.To plate, pool red bean puree in the center of a warm shallow entrée bowl. Place rice and sausage cake in the center of the beans. Using your thumb, make indentions in the cake to hold your eggs still. Place two poached eggs on top of the cake and cover eggs with tasso hollandaise. Finish the dish with green onions.
