This Cajun Red Beans and Rice recipe should really be named “Cajun Inspired Red Beans and Rice”. I say this because a) I’m not Cajun b) I don’t live in Louisiana, and c) True Cajun food should (I think) involve home cooked and spiced DRIED beans that you simmer on the stove with seasonings and vegetables. I love using dried beans. Beans freshly simmered on the stove can impart a different texture and flavor than the canned variety. That being said, a lot of my recipes are conceived at the last minute (read: the day of, around 4:30 pm, when I remember that I’m expected to eat dinner as a normal human being), and I usually don’t have a pot of beans already soaked, cooked and ready.
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