The Musical Magical Food

Disclaimer: There are no teabags in the following recipe.

Legumes, a.k.a. beans, peas, lentils, et al are a terrific staple that are sadly underutilized in a lot of American kitchens. Beside being rich in proteins, they're also an integral part of sustainable farming for their legendary ability to replenish nitrogen levels in soil. So for those of us who'd like to support saner food policies, and save a little green as well (beans in bulk are a lot cheaper than any meat), here's my humble contribution to American Cuisine. It's a little Cajun, a little Caribbean, a little Tex-Mex, and a little Moroccan as well, of all things.

BARON'S BEST RED BEANS AND RICE

For the Spice Blend:
1 tbsp ancho or other dark chile powder
1 tbsp chipotle or New Mexico chile powder
1 tbsp best-quality paprika
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp Jamaican curry powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp allspice

For the Beans:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 slice tasso ham, aproximately 1/4 lb, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I use turkey kielbasa, but pork is more authentic)
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large green bell or Pasilla chile pepper, stemmed, cored and seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium celery ribs, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp harissa paste (optional)
1 12-ounce can best-quality chopped tomatoes, liquid reserved
1 lb dried red or kidney beans, sorted and cleaned, soaked 8 to 10 hours or overnight, then rinsed and drained in a colander
1 cup dry white wine (use 1 cup amber beer if you want a more Southwestern flavor)
4 cups best quality chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Roux:
4 tbsp butter, warmed to room temperature
4 tbsp sifted white flour

Chopped green onion and/or jalapeno pepper for garnish

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry spices and stir to combine. Set aside.

Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the ham and cook until rendered, approximately 5 minutes. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery, stir to combine and cook until the onions appear translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook one minute more. Add the tomato paste and harissa; stir to combine. Sprinkle the spice mixture slowly into the pot, stirring to combine all the ingredients and allowing the spices to release their oils, approximately 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, wine or beer, stock, and salt and pepper; stir to combine. Turn the heat up to high, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are fork-tender. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm, covered.

To make the roux, place a cast iron skillet over high heat undisturbed for five minutes. Gradually add the butter and flour to the hot skillet, stirring continuously with a wire whisk to combine. Continue to whisk vigorously until the butter-flour mixture turns a deep chocolate-chestnut color, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly pour the roux into the stockpot, using the wire whisk to combine with the beans and to scrape out the skillet (be careful here; the roux will spatter a bit when contacting the hot liquid). Bring the stockpot to a boil, stir, then reduce the heat to medium-low, adding more butter and flour as desired, or cooking down until the desired consistency is reached. Serve using a ladle in a broad-brimmed soup bowl over jasmine, basmati, or other long-grain rice. rice. Garnish with a sprinkle of green onions and/or jalapenos, and serve along with hot sauce if desired. Serves 4 to 6 as a main course.

---Vitelius