As soon as we opened the front door Saturday morning, we knew something was different. We certainly COULD have imagined it. After all, the television was already tuned to ESPN in anticipation of College Game Day. Did it feel like autumn because we wanted it so badly? Like two tentative groundhogs, we poked our noses outside, sniffing the air, peering eagerly up and down the street, out toward the bay. Indeed, it seemed fall had presented her winsome self ahead of schedule, taunting us with her characteristic flirt and flounce. It would be untrue if I told you there was a chill in the air. Of course it was still warm--but NOT oppressive. The sky was more blue, the air less humid, the breeze a tiny bit more persistent. We would not be so silly as to think she was here for good. In the coastal South, autumn plays hide and seek for weeks, appearing with more regularity as we move into late September and early October. Without question, there will be more days of stifling heat and heavy humidity. But for that day, we breathed deeply and lived in the present, all the while anticipating that more days like this are just around the corner.
The first breath of fall reminds me of the things I cook when the weather is cooler. Big pots of things. Veggies diced and chopped, sauteed and melded into soups and stews. Meats slowly braised in herbs and wine. A homey pot of chili cooked all day, with the smell of warm cumin tantalizing our taste buds. Chicken roasting with pungent cloves of garlic and fragrant flecks of rosemary. Meaty roasts nestled among potatoes and carrots, slowly simmering as the juices are released. With just this kind of cooking in mind, I had tossed a bag of dried red beans into my cart at the market last week. With the refrain of the College Game Day theme song providing appropriate background music ("We're coming to your city...") I popped the beans into a pot of water, brought the water to a boil for a couple of minutes and then set it aside for the beans to soften for an hour or so. It was a red beans and rice kind of day. Don't you agree?
Red beans and rice are ubiquitous in this part of the world. Everyone has a recipe, probably handed down from a mother or grandmother. A relative newcomer still, I snatched this recipe from a member of a Stephen Ministry Training Class many years ago. Most every group I have ever been a part of in a church setting eventually ends up making food a part of the equation. And things tend to get out of hand pretty quickly. What begins as simple refreshments will eventually become a 3-4 course meal after a few weeks. People love to linger at a table around food. As soon as people begin to form a bond, they want to break bread together. And as the sign up list is passed around and each person takes a turn, they want to offer hospitality by sharing their favorite dishes, their signature desserts, and quite often the warm comfort foods that will feed a crowd. What is a pastor to do? Spoil the fun by urging them to keep their focus on the subject matter that brings them together? I don't think so!! God is present at those tables. It is his love that softens hearts, opens minds, fosters peace and understanding, creates community. I decided long ago just to pull up a chair, enjoy the fellowship and watch what God was doing, fill my plate and siphon off all the best recipes!
So on a late summer day with a hint of fall in the air, I pulled out Sandy's recipe for red beans and rice. A good weekend was about to get a lot better!
Red Beans and Rice
(Serves 6-8 depending upon how hungry they are!)
1 lb. dried red beans, soaked overnight and drained
(or fast soaked as I did)
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
4 bay leaves
1/2 lb. cooked ham, diced
6 oz. smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 Tbs. chopped garlic
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
8-10 cups water
2-3 cups steamed or cooked rice
1. Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Saute the onions, bell pepper, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper, thyme oregano and basil for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaves, ham and sausage and saute for 5 minutes more. I used Conecuh Cajun Sausage this time, and highly recommend it if you can find it.
3. Add the beans, garlic, vinegar and enough water to cover the contents in the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours. Add more water if the mixture becomes dry and thick.
4. Use a potato masher to mash about half of the mixture. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1-1/2 hours more, or until the mixture is creamy and the beans are soft. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy, but not watery.
5. Remove the bay leaves and serve over cooked rice.
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Notes: We also grilled the rest of the Conecuh sausage and served alongside the beans and rice. Add a good salad, crusty bread or cornbread and an array of hot sauces and you've got a great fall meal. The beans will keep for several days in the refrigerator and taste a little better each time you serve them! Cooked rice refrigerates nicely in a plastic bag. When you are ready for your leftovers, open the plastic bag and add a sprinkle of water. With the bag open, microwave about 25 seconds at a time until the rice is hot.
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