Red beans & rice with smoked sausage

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1poundsDried red beans
1Garlic clove chopped
poundsSmoked sausage cut
1teaspoonDried thyme
Into chunks
1teaspoonGround pepper
8ouncesSmoked ham shanks
½teaspoonSage
1Large onion chopped
1pinchCayenne pepper
Salt
Freshly cooked rice

Directions

Place beans in Dutch oven and cover generously with water. Let soak 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to beans except salt and rice.

Bring to boil over medium high heat.

Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until beans are tender, adding more water if necessary (about 2½ hours). Add salt to taste.

Discard ham bones. Remove about 3 tablespoons of beans from mixture and mash to paste; return to Dutch oven and stir. Simmer 15 more minutes. Serve over hot rice.