Louisiana Red Beans & Rice
This quick version of red beans and rice gets its smoky goodness from super-lean Canadian bacon and a hit of ground chipotle pepper. It's delicious as a leftover but will thicken as it stands. To keep it properly syrupy, just thin with a little water and reheat.

Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Servings:
6 servings, 1 1/3 cups each
Ingredients
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4 1/3 cups water, divided
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1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
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1 cup diced onion
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2 teaspoons minced garlic
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2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, or pink beans, rinsed
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6 ounces sliced Canadian bacon, chopped
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1/2 cup chopped celery, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
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1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
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1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, (see Note) or cayenne pepper
Directions
1.
Combine 3 1/3 cups water, rice and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, cover and cook until all the water has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.
2.
About 10 minutes before the rice is ready, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is lightly colored and tender, about 3 minutes.
3.
Place 1 cup beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mashed and whole beans, the remaining 1 cup water, Canadian bacon, celery, celery leaves, bell pepper and ground chipotle (or cayenne) to taste to the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened into a gravy and the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls, spooned over the rice.
Tip:
Note: Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeno peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.
Nutrition information
Calories 342, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 14 mg, Sodium 645 mg, Carbohydrate 57 g, Fiber 8 g, Protein 17 g, Potassium 196 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin C 20%, Iron 15%. Exchanges: Starch 3,Vegetable 1,Lean Meat 2.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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