Cajun red beans and rice

Ingredients

• 450 g of dried kidney beans
• 6 smoked pork hocks (1.5 to 2 kg)
• 480 ml of finely chopped celery
• 480 ml of finely chopped onion
• 480 ml of finely chopped bell pepper
• 5 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons of Cajun spices (such as Seafood Magic by Paul Prudhomme)
• 1 tablespoon of Tabasco
• 960 ml of cooked rice

Cover the beans with water, let them soak overnight, and then drain them.

Place the feet, celery, onion, bell pepper, bay leaf, and spices in a large pot with 2.4 liters of water. Cover and bring to a boil.

Let it simmer for about an hour, or until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, stirring occasionally.

Remove the feet and skim off any excess fat from the broth.

Remove most of the liquid, add the beans and just enough liquid to cover them. Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beans begin to break down and the liquid becomes creamy, adding more liquid as needed. If they stick together, do not scrape the bottom; instead, transfer them without the burnt bits.

Put the feet back in, add the Tabasco, and let it cook for another 45 minutes, then serve immediately.

On a warm plate, arrange the rice on one side, the lamb shanks on the other, and the beans in the middle.