- 1 pound dried small kidney/red beans
- 6 cups water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup finely chopped green onions, 3” of green tops
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 ham bone OR ham hock (1-1.5 lbs)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper OR cayenne pepper
- Rice
In a 3-4 qt saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Drop in beans and boil briskly, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour.
Drain the beans in a sieve set over a large bowl. Measure the soaking liquid and add enough water to make 4 cups. Set the beans and liquid aside. Melt the butter in a heavy 4-5 qt pan over moderate heat. Add 1/2 cup of the green peppers, the onions, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent, but not brown. Stir in the beans and liquid, the ham bone/hock, salt, and peppers. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 3 hours. Check the pot from time to time and add more water if the beans seem dry. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir frequently and mash the softest beans aganist the sides of the pan to form a thick sauce for the remaining beans. When the beans are cooked, remove the bone from the pot. Trim off and dice the meat and return it to the beans. Serve with rice and tabasco sauce.