Recipe: Little Jewel of New Orleans’ Red Beans and Rice

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Red Beans and Rice at Little Jewel of New Orleans in Chinatown.

The other LA of the United States is Louisiana, a state known for its food traditions and a French influence. Finding Creole dishes in Los Angeles has been a task until a few months ago when Marcus Christina-Beniger opened his market and deli, Little Jewel of New Orleans, in Chinatown. 

The restaurant’s smoker housed ducks for years when it operated as a Chinese restaurant. Today Marcus is smoking Tasso ham,  andouille  and boudin. This week on Good Food he describes Tasso as a seasoning meat. He says it’s best used in Louisiana’s signature red beans and rice, gumbo, crawfish pasta and vegetables. However, he says, “I would be hard pressed to find things not to cook it with.”

Below is his recipe for Red Beans and Rice. He reminds us that this is a 3 day process, so if you want to eat it on Monday, you have to start on Saturday.