When we started to design our first-grade unit around American food traditions featuring rice, we knew we had to make red beans and rice from New Orleans, Ms. Webb’s hometown. Our opening circle this week started with a book about two birds, Yat and Dat, who fly around New Orleans sampling local specialties like oyster po’ boys, BBQ shrimp, speckled trout, gumbo, bananas foster, and, of course, red beans. Yat and Dat even meet chef Emeril Lagasse, who employs his signature saying, “Bam!”, as he cooks.
In the kitchen, the first graders got to work making a vegan version of red beans and rice. They built layers of flavor, starting with onions, garlic, bay leaves, celery, and green bell peppers, then adding tomato paste, smoked paprika, cayenne, and loads of fresh herbs. The beans, which we cooked prior to class due to time constraints, went into the pot next along with our homemade vegetable stock. As the beans simmered, students took turns smashing the beans against the side of the pot to create the creamy, thick texture that’s so appealing when ladled next to or over warm rice. As a garnish, we offered smoked salt (a great vegan way to impart flavors that are traditionally delivered by pork sausage) and jalepeño hot sauce. It felt like a party.
