Red Beans & Rice

Just the way my gramma made it when I was a kid.
Submitted by: Sam W

Ingredients:

1 lb dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
1 ham hock
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
3 celery stalks
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 bay leaves
6 cups water
12 oz andouille sausage
Cooked white rice
Green onions

Directions:

Drain soaked beans, add to a large pot with the ham hock, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and water
Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer, partially covered, for about 2 hours, stir occasionally, add water if it looks dry
After 1.5 hours, sear the sausage separately in a hot pan until browned, then stir it into the pot
Once beans are soft, pull out the ham hock, shred any meat off it, and return the meat to the pot, discard the bone
Mash a spoonful of beans against the side of the pot and stir back in, this is what thickens the whole thing without any flour
Season with salt to taste
Serve over rice, topped with green onions