New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
The Cajun flair of Louisiana brings bold, soulful flavors to the American family table. On a crisp autumn evening, preparing this one-pot New Orleans-style red beans and rice fills the whole house with an irresistible aroma. In the kitchen, the Geedel food chopper efficiently handles the "Holy Trinity" of Cajun cooking—the foundational vegetable base—making the preparation of this flavorful dish simple and quick.
Ingredients:
300g Andouille sausage, sliced
300g chicken thigh meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
2 celery stalks
3 garlic cloves
1 cup long-grain rice
1 can (400g) diced tomatoes (with juices)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cooked red kidney beans
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 bay leaf
Olive oil, salt, black pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the "Holy Trinity" vegetable base (using Geedel):
Wash and cut the bell pepper, onion, and celery into chunks. Using the Geedel vegetable chopper with the dicing blade, place bell pepper chunks in the container and press steadily 4–5 times until evenly diced. Repeat with the onion and celery. This manual vegetable chopper ensures uniform vegetable pieces, which is key to even flavor release.
2. Sear the meats:
In a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the sausage slices until browned and some oil is released. Remove and set aside. In the same pot, sear the chicken pieces until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté the vegetables:
Keep about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot. Add all the diced vegetables and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized at the edges. Add crushed garlic and Cajun seasoning, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Cook the rice:
Stir in the rice until each grain is coated with oil. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices) and chicken broth, then add the bay leaf. Return the seared sausage and chicken to the pot and gently mix everything together.
5. Simmer to finish:
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is tender. Stir in the red kidney beans during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
6. Serve:
Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This dish is a complete meal on its own, but can also be served with crusty bread.
Summary:
This rich and hearty New Orleans classic is made approachable with the Geedel manual vegetable chopper, which quickly prepares the flavorful "Holy Trinity" base. Uniformly diced vegetables ensure every bite is infused with balanced Cajun taste. The ease of manual operation allows home cooks to confidently recreate this complex regional specialty.
