Eggs Louis Armstrong Recipe

Step 1

Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a Dutch oven or a large heavy pot over high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions, bell peppers, garlic and all of the celery and jalapeño. Turn heat to medium and cook until onions begin to turn opaque. Add red beans, pickled pork, bay leaf and 1½ quarts of chicken stock to pot and bring to a simmer. Cook beans for about 2 hours or until tender. Stir the pot occasionally to prevent sticking.

Step 2

In another heavy bottom pot on high heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and diced andouille sausage, and render until nice and golden brown. Add the remainder of the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until onions begin to turn opaque. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of flour and stir until flour is incorporated.

Step 3

Add cooked rice to sausage mixture and 1/2 cup chicken stock, and cook on low for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add the remaining stock if your mix is too tight, but remember you want your cakes to hold their shape; it should not be wet, all stock should be absorbed. Spread rice and sausage mixture on a baking sheet and cool completely in the refrigerator.

Step 4

Season beans with hot sauce and paprika to your taste. Allow beans to cool slightly before handling. With a hand blender, in a blender or in a food processor, puree beans to sauce consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. The pickled pork will add a lot of flavor, so best not to add salt until the end.

Step 5

Remove chilled rice mixture from the refrigerator. Portion into 6 rectangle squares. Dust rice cakes generously in flour.

Step 6

Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet or well-seasoned pan over high heat, about 2 minutes. Be sure you have enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan. Place cakes in the pan and fry them until they start to become brown and crisp, about 2½ minutes. Reduce the heat if they are browning too quickly. Turn cakes over and brown for another 2 minutes until they are golden brown, crispy and hot in the center.

Step 7

To plate, pool red bean puree in the center of a warm shallow entrée bowl. Place rice and sausage cake in the center of the beans. Using your thumb, make indentions in the cake to hold your eggs still. Place two poached eggs on top of the cake and cover eggs with tasso hollandaise. Finish the dish with green onions.