Creole Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage

• 400 g Red kidney beans, dried
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 2 pieces Celery
• 1 medium Green pepper
• 300 g Andouille sausage
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 2 pieces Bay leaves
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 250 g Long-grain white rice
• 2 tbsp Hot sauce, plus more to serve

1. Rinse the beans in a colander, then tip into a large pot and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil, boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse again.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion, then finely chop the celery and green pepper. Slice the sausage into rounds and finely chop the garlic.
3. Return the pot to medium heat and add the sausage. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until browned and the fat has rendered; lift the sausage out onto a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
4. Add the onion, celery and green pepper to the pot and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme and fine sea salt, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Add the beans back to the pot with the bay leaves and cover with fresh water by about 3 cm. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the liquid is creamy; add a splash more water if it looks dry.
6. While the beans simmer, cook the rice in a saucepan in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well and cover to keep warm.
7. Stir the browned sausage back into the beans and simmer for 5 minutes to bring everything together. Stir in the hot sauce, then taste and adjust with a little more fine sea salt if needed; remove the bay leaves.
8. Spoon the rice into bowls and ladle the red beans and sausage over the top. Serve with extra hot sauce at the table.

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