Red Beans and Rice

Rinse the beans and put them in a large, heavy soup pot. Cover them with water and stir in the baking soda. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain the beans. (Alternatively, you can soak the beans in water overnight.)

In the same soup pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery and spices through the thyme over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent. Add the bay leaves, garlic and sausage, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often to be sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add the beans and Cajun seasoning, then add chicken stock or water to cover it all by about 2 inches. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the beans simmer, uncovered for about 2 hours. Occasionally stir the beans so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. You may need to add more water or stock so that the beans are always covered by about an inch or so of liquid. Continue cooking until the beans begin to break up when you stir them. 

Test for salt and pepper. Serve the red beans in bowls over the rice, and garnish with chopped green onions.