Red beans & rice

Onion, diced	2
Bell pepper, green, seeded, diced	1
Celery, diced	1 stalk
Ghee	2 tablespoons
Red kidney beans, dried	1 pound
Ham hocks, smoked	2
Bay leaves	3
Cayenne	½ teaspoon
Water
Green onions, chopped	3
Pepper, freshly ground
Salt
Tabasco
Rice
Duck fat, olive oil, ghee, or butter	1 tablespoon
Onion, small, minced	1
Rice, long-grain white	1 ½ cups
Chicken stock	3 cups
Bay leaf	1
Salt

1. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sweat the onions, bell pepper, and celery in the ghee. 
2. Once the onions become translucent, add the beans, hocks, bay leaves, and cayenne, and then add enough water to cover by 2 inches. 
3. Increase the heat, and bring the water to a boil. 
4. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the beams to slowly simmer for 2 hours. 
5. Periodically, stir the beans to ensure they do not scorch to the bottom of the pot, adding water as needed to keep the beans covered by an inch or more of water. 
6. Continue cooking the beans until they are creamy and beginning to fall apart when they are stirred. 
7. Remove the ham hock meat from the bones, and roughly chop it before returning to the pot. 
8. Stir in the green onions, and season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco. 

Rice

1. Place the fat in a medium saucepan, and sweat the onion over moderate heat until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Pour the rice into the pan, and stir for 2 minutes. 
3. Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. 
4. Add the bay leaf and salt. 
5. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. 
6. Remove the pan from heat; fluff the rice with a fork. 

Chef's note: Needs a bit of work. The beans were tough...

Recipe mildly adapted from My New Orleans The Cookbook by John Besh.