following the funks

EX-PAT FOOD: Pork-less Red beans and rice

Note from Catie: While I live in Turkey, I am a born and raised Southern American gal, and specifically to Louisiana! Which makes this blog post especially near and dear to my heart! I grew up on a good bowl of red beans and rice. And well, a good biscuit that melts in my mouth is always appreciated!

This month, I’m creating another adaptation dish! Native to Louisianan cuisine, red beans and rice is a classic dish and a testament to the rich flavors and readily-available ingredients used in the cooking of the bayou. Cajun cuisine is an American mix of countryside French cuisine brought via Canada, African American, Spanish, and Native American influences using the ingredients native to the bayou.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, droves of people who were displaced from their homes in Louisiana settled in my hometown: the metro-Atlanta area. Thankfully, they brought their cooking with them. So, although Cajun cuisine isn’t native to my hometown or my parents’, it’s still a style of food that reminds me of childhood and the comfort of gathering with community. 

In this red beans and rice recipe, I incorporate ingredients found here in Izmir. Sucuk (pronounced soo-jook) is a Turkish sausage made from beef. Check out the blog post I wrote last month to learn more about the spices in sucuk, and for another recipe with this flavorful sausage! It makes a great substitute for the delicious andouille sausage usually used to make red beans and rice, and the flavors really complement the Cajun seasonings that go in this dish.

Sometimes, in Turkey it can be hard to find celery, one of the necessary “Holy Trinity” starters for Cajun stews. I have found, however, that if I’m willing to buy a few celery roots (which is the part of the celery sold in markets in Turkey), I can usually piece together enough of the thin stalks left on the root to make up enough to start off my stews. Additionally, depending on what is available, I sometimes use red beans (often called Mexican beans in Turkey) or kidney beans if red beans are unavailable. Both work well in the dish, and you can even mix the two if you’re feeling adventurous!  

I also include a bonus recipe for an adaptation of “done buttered biscuits” that are dangerously easy. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself making them for every meal of the day! I substitute the usual sour cream for yogurt, and add a cup of cheese to the usual recipe. 

The best thing about a hearty dish like this is that it is so simple to make and easy to double and share with a crowd! I doubled this recipe and it fed 8 adults and 6 kids! 

Pork-less Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 link of Sucuk, thinly sliced
• 2 (16 ounce) cans red beans
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 Celery stalks
• 1 Green bell pepper
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh
• 1/4 tsp Sage, ground
• 1 Tbsp Paprika
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Tabasco sauce, to taste
• 1 cup white rice

Directions:

1. Prepare the rice as normal, with two cups water. Boil, cover, reduce heat to low and let cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, keeping rice covered as it’s set aside. 
2. As rice is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in Dutch oven or large stockpot.
3. Add in the sucuk until it starts to brown.
4. Add in chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Cook 5 minutes until they start to soften.
5. Add in garlic and spices, stir and cook until fragrant. 
6. Pour in chicken broth and red beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 15 minutes. 
7. Remove lid and let the stew reduce, mashing some of the beans to help thicken. Add tabasco sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve over rice with done buttered biscuit. Garnish with fresh parsley.

BONUS: Cheesy, Done Buttered Biscuits

Ingredients: 

• 113 grams butter, melted
• 1 cup yogurt, plain
• 2 cups Bisquick mix (recipe below)
• 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used kaşar)

Directions:

Bisquick Mix Ingredients:

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp salt
• ½ cup butter, cold cut in cubes

Directions:

Now tell me:

• Have you ever updated a recipe you grew up with based on what’s available where you live now?
• What’s a dish you grew up eating that didn’t originate in your hometown?
• Have you tried this red beans and rice recipe?
• How did it turn out for you?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!