Lagniappe Red Beans And Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. dried red kidney beans
2 qt. cold water
1 meaty ham bone or a thick slice of raw ham, cubed
1/2 lb. Cajun sausage
1 bunch green onions and tops
3 medium onions, sliced
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
rice (not instant)

Preparation

Rinse beans twice.
Place in at least 4-quart heavy pot.
Add water, ham and sausage.
Place on medium heat.
While beans are soaking and warming, chop onions.
Add to pot.
When the mixture boils, reduce and cover.
Stir every 20 to 30 minutes for 3 hours. Then, with a wooden spoon mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot.
Forty minutes after mashing beans, add cayenne pepper (not too much).
Cook 30 minutes more while cooking rice. Serve over rice.
Vegetables cook away to nothing.
The mashed beans thicken sauce.
Even better the next day.