Louis Armstrong's Creole Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Ricely Yours,

-- Louis Armstrong

That is how the Great Satchmo, Louis Armstrong, signed his correspondence. This signature was Armstrong's nod to one of his most favorite dishes, red beans and rice. This dish has a long history in New Orleans, Louisiana, where Louis Armstrong was born and raised. It was often deemed the dish for Monday dinners, a simple one to prepare while engaged in a long day of work. One could simply get the pot going, leave it alone for a few hours, and return to finish preparing the meal. 

The highlighted ingredient of this dish - red beans - has a very special place in the cuisine of New Orleans. Indeed, the Crescent City is really a red bean city, in the words of Willie May Seaton, of the famous Scotch House.  The Federal Writers Project - which I have posted about before - likened the red bean in New Orleans to the white bean in Boston or the cowpea to any city in South Carolina. 

The one indisputable fact is that Red Beans and Rice not only had a place in the correspondence of Louis Armstrong, but also in his heart. Patrick Jarenwattananon once wrote about Armstrong's love for the dish in an article for National Public Radio. He quoted from Armstrong's own work, In His Own Words: Selected Writings (ed. Thomas Bros. 1970), in which Louis recounted the dish prepared by Lucille, who he would later marry: 

The Red Beans + Rice that Lucille cooked for me was just what the Doctor ordered. Very much delicious and I ate just like a dog. I said forgive me after I had finished eating. I just had to make some kind of excuse. She accepted it very cheerful. Because I am sure that Lucille has never witnessed any one Human Being eating so much. Especially at one sitting. I had her to save the rest of the beans that was left over. Then I'd come another time and finish them. We commenced getting closer 'n' closer as time went by. 

I guess one could say that Louis Armstrong's love of this one dish led to the greater love of his life.

The special place of Red Beans and Rice led those close to him to memorialize the dish for posterity. In fact, one can find numerous pages that include the recipe, which is set forth to the right. 

I decided that I would make this dish, principally because of my love of Louis Armstrong's music. It is that love that led me to use salt pork (which I generally avoid for health reasons) and ham hocks (which, I'll be honest, I had not used in cooking before). Yet, with Louis Armstrong's songs playing in the background, I assumed the role of a cook, trying my best to recreate the recipe that would have been prepared for the Great Satchmo. That's when I remembered one important thing about recipes: they may list all of the ingredients and provide the directions, but recipe's rarely capture the cook's special touch. The knowledge of exactly how long to let things simmer, how to eyeball salt to get the right "taste," and other aspects that one develops as they make the dish over and over again over time. 

My first effort to make Louis Armstrong's Red Beans and Rice was a success in my humble opinion. I made a tasty dish that may not have gotten Pop's attention, but it definitely made a few great meals for me.

CREOLE RED BEANS AND RICE

Recipe from Louis Armstrong

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for beans):

• 1 pound kidney beans
• 1/2 pound salt pork (strip of lean, strip of fat, slab bacon may be used if preferred)
• 1 small can of tomato sauce (if desired)
• 6 small Ham Hocks or one smoked pork butt
• 2 onions diced
• 1/4 green bell pepper
• 5 tiny or 2 medium dried peppers
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• Salt, to taste

Ingredients (for rice)

• 2 cups white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Prepare the beans. Wash beans thoroughly, then soak overnight in cold water. Be sure to cover the beans. 

2. Cook the beans without ham hocks. To cook, pour water off beans, add fresh water to cover. Add salt pork or bacon, let come to a boil over full flame in covered pot. Turn flame down to slightly higher than low and let cook one and one-half hours. Add diced onions, bell pepper ,garlic, dried peppers, and salt. Cook three hours. Add tomato sauce, cook one and one-half hours more, adding water whenever necessary. Beans and meat should always be just covered with water, never dry. 

3. Cook the beans with ham hocks or pork butts. Wash meat, add water to cover and let come to a boil in a covered pot over medium flame. Cook one and one-half hours. Then add beans (pour water off, add rest of ingredients to meat. Cook four and one-half hours. Add water when necessary. 

4. Prepare the rice. Wash rice thoroughly, have water and salt come to a boil. Add rice to boiling water. Cook until rice swells and water is almost evaporated. Cover and turn flame down low. Cook until rice is grainy. To insure grainy rice, always use one and one-half cups water to one cup of rice.

PEACE.