Yield: 7 cups, 6 Hearty Servings

http://emerils.com/123904/tuesdays-red-bean-soup

It features red beans and rice, vegetables, broth and kielbasa. In other words, it’s a complete meal in one pot.

• 1TBS olive oil
• ½cup diced bacon
• 1½chopped onions
• ¼cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1TBS minced garlic
• 4bay leaves
• 6oz sliced andouille sausage
• 1small smoked ham hock (about 5 to 6 oz)
• 2cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 1TBS Emeril’s Creole Seasoning
• 1tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2quarts Basic Chicken Stock, plus more if needed
• 1tsp salt
• 1½cups cooked long-grain white rice, warm
• 6TBS chopped green onions

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the bacon and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, bay leaves, andouille, and ham hock and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the beans and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the Creole Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are nearly tender. Add the salt, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes longer, or until tender. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, covered, for about 20 minutes. Discard the ham hock (or remove the meat from the bone and shred it, then stir it into the soup). The soup should be fairly brothy. If it becomes too thick during cooking, stir in a bit more stock or water.

To serve, ladle a generous cup of the soup into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with ¼ cup of the rice and sprinkle each with 1 TBS of the green onions.

Emeril’s Essence Creole Seasoning