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Kidney (Red) Beans with Ham—In New Orleans, These Beans Would be Served with Rice (Brown, of Course).

Cooks' Note

Kidney beans are among the highest in fiber content of the bean family. Although we use red kidney beans in this recipe, you could easily substitute white kidney beans, also called cannellini beans.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 pound dried kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
2 quarts (8 cups) water
1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham (not sugar-cured)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 large bay leaves
Ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

  1. Combine the beans and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, sauté the ham in a medium nonstick skillet over high heat until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the meat to a bowl and add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Sauté until the onion is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the ham, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper to the beans. Bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until slightly tender, about 1 hour, adding more water if necessary. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the salt and serve.

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