New Orleans Red Beans And Rice With Sausage Fulcher - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb dried red kidney beans, picked over
1 lb smoked link sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 pale-green inner celery ribs, chopped (with leaves)
4 garlic cloves, minced (to taste)
6 cups water
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
2 teaspoons salt (to taste)

Preparation

In a bowl soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight.
In a 6-quart heavy kettle combine all ingredients except 1/2 pound sausage.
Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, over moderate heat 1 1/2 hours.
Remove lid and cook mixture at a bare simmer 1 hour more, adding more water if mixture is too thick.
Remove 1 cup bean mixture and mash to a paste.
Stir bean paste and remaining 1/2 pound sausage into bean mixture and simmer 5 minutes.
Serve bean mixture with rice.