Caribbean Rice and Beans

Adapted from the Nov/Dec 2008 Food Network Magazine
Serves 2

• 1 can black or red beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 pound italian sausage or bratwurst, casings (if any) removed and sliced
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 tsp jerk seasoning¹
• 2 tsp thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup medium-grain brown rice
• 4 cups (175 g) collard greens, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 2 1/4 cups water
• salt

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Saute the white parts of the green onions, garlic, jalapeno and onion with a generous pinch of salt until soft and beginning to brown. Remove. Add sausage, thyme and jerk seasoning and again, cook until the meat begins to brown. Add tomato paste and saute for another minute or two.

In a rice cooker², combine the onion mixture, meat, rice and water. Stir well and top with the collard greens. Set it to Cook. When it finishes, fluff rice mixture and stir in the reserved green parts of the green onions. Serve.

Notes:

1. Jerk seasoning is a Caribbean spice mix which generally consists of some combination of allspice, dried Scotch bonnet peppers, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme and garlic. Like garam masala and curries, there's as many ways to mix this as there are cooks. I bought mine on St Maarten and I really have no clue what's in it. Tastes good though.
2. I've said before that I'm no good at cooking rice on the stove. Here's how the original recommended cooking it: Instead of a rice cooker, use a large, deep skillet for the combined onion and meat mixture. Add the water and rice, then bring it to a boil. Add the collard greens and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer undisturbed for about 50 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Let rest off the heat for 10 minutes.