Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      pound         dried red beans
   1                    garlic clove chopped
   1 1/2  pounds        smoked sausage cut
   1      teaspoon      dried thyme
   1                    into chunks
   1      teaspoon      ground pepper
   8      ounces        smoked ham shanks
     1/2  teaspoon      sage
   1      large         onion chopped
     1/8  teaspoon      cayenne pepper
   1                    salt
   1                    rice -- freshly cooked

Preparation:

Place beans in Dutch oven and cover generously with water. Let soak 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to beans except salt and rice. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until beans are tender, adding more water if necessary (about 2 1/2 hours). Add salt to taste. Discard ham bones. Remove about 3 tablespoons of beans from mixture and mash to paste -- return to Dutch oven and stir. Simmer 15 more minutes. Serve over hot rice.