Sensational Sides: Du Riz a Sauce Pois (Rice with Bean Sauce)

Red Kidney Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 14 ounce pkg dry jumbo lima beans*
water
1/2 yellow medium onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 pack Sazon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter

Directions

1.  Fill a pot with the dry beans and water until the pot is is filled 3/4 of the way.

2.  Boil the beans on med-high heat until they are practically falling apart, about 2 hours. Replace water as necessary during the boiling process because it will evaporate during cooking.

3.  Transfer the beans and some of the cooking broth into a food processor.  Set the cooking broth aside in the pot.

4.  Add the onion, garlic...

5.  Add Sazon, cloves, allspice, and salt in the food processor over the beans...

6.   Blend until a smooth puree is formed.

7.  Transfer the puree back into the pot with the cooking broth. Add an additional 2 cups of water. Heat on med-high and bring the puree to a boil. **

8.  Reduce heat to low, add butter, and let simmer for at least 15 minutes or until heated through.

9.  Serve over white rice, with boiled plantain, or in a bowl with crusty french bread! ENJOY!
NOTE:

*You can also use red kidney beans, lentils, green peas, green lima beans, black beans, cannellini beans, great northern beans, or the 10 or 15 bean combinations sold for soup! This is a VERY versatile dish.

**For added flavor, add some smoked meat to the pot such as smoked turkey neck or wing, smoked pork neck, or sliced smoked sausage/kielbasa.

White Lima Bean Soup

Sensational Sides: Rice and Beans - Haitian Style

Ingredients

1/4 yellow onion, rough chopped
2 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1 can of red beans (dark or light), rinsed and drained
2-1/2 cans of water
1/2 can of coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 packs Sazon
2 good squirts of ketchup
3 cups of yellow rice

Directions

In a food processor, pulse together the onion and garlic until it becomes a puree, and set aside.  In a stock pot, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Pour the puree into the pot and sautee until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the beans and continue to saute for an additional minute.

Add the water and coconut milk. Then add and stir in all of the remaining ingredients except the rice. Allow the liquid to come to a boil, then taste.  Make sure the liquid is flavorful because whatever flavor your liquid has will be absorbed into the rice.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.  When the liquid is seasoned to your liking, then add the yellow rice and remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Cook rice uncovered on med-high until the liquid is mostly evaporated and absorbed. Then lower the heat to med-low.  Stir the rice only once because the rice closest to the heat is cooking quicker than the top.  Cover the pot, and continue to cook until the rice is tender.