Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1 pound red beans, dried
¼ cup bacon drippings
½ pound Andouille sausage, sliced thin
¾ cup onion, diced
¾ cup celery, diced
½ cup green bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons flour
3 bay leaves
8 cups chicken stock
½ tablespoon of chicken bouillon granules
1 pound ham hocks, smoked
½ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
Cooked rice

Directions:
Rinse the peas once in cold water, removing any debris. Drain peas and set aside. In a cast-iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté 3 -5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle in the flour and blend well into the vegetable mixture. Add bay leaves, peas, stock, chicken bouillon and ham hocks. Season using salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until peas are tender, about 3 hours. When the peas are tender, season to taste using salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and hot sauce, remove bay leaf and add parsley and green onions. Serve over hot rice.