“When you sit around Johnson’s table… you’re not supposed to fiddle with your phone. You talk. You meet people. You drink. You eat. You remember what it’s like to connect with strangers over a meal.” –  The Washington Post

Pableaux Johnson leads the “shenanigans” and serves his guests Red Beans & Rice made with Camellia Brand Red Kidney Beans.

RED BEANS ROAD SHOW “TEXAS TWO-STEP” POP-UP SUPPERS:

August 18  – San Antonio, Texas: Cured at Pearl  

On August 18, 2019, Pableaux Johnson will make his way to the heart of San Antonio, collaborating with chef Steve McHugh of Cured at Pearl, for a one-night-only, New Orleans-style gastronomic gathering. A homecoming of sorts – Johnson is an alumnus of Trinity University – the family-style feast commences at 6:30 p.m., with the sit-down, 3-course feast beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the Red Beans Roadshow at Cured are available for $55++ per person, and include a home-style, three-course meal, featuring an appetizer of Fried Quail Legs with Local Honey and Rosemary, followed by Red Beans and Rice, Cornbread, Fried Apple Cajeta Hand Pie for dessert, and wine and beer. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available, upon request. Seating is limited. Purchase tickets in advance online here.

Keeping community first, a portion of the evening’s proceeds will go to support Cured’s current Gastro Giving recipient, Say Sí – a leading youth development organization that is committed to creating a premier, inclusive, dynamic, and nurturing educational environment for San Antonio’s young people

August 20 – Dallas, Texas: Café Momentum

On August 20, Pableaux Johnson will make his way to the heart of downtown Dallas, collaborating with host chefs Chad Houser and Aaron “Fuzz” Collins of Café Momentum, for a one-night-only, New Orleans-style gastronomic gathering. The family-style feast commences at 6:30 p.m., with the sit-down, 3-course feast beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the Red Beans Roadshow at Café Momentum are available for $55++ per person, and include a home-style, three-course meal, featuring starters of Deviled Eggs Two Ways: Classic and State Fair Style, and Crab Cakes with Creole Rémoulade, followed by Red Beans and Rice, Cornbread, Louisiana Bread Pudding with Bourbon Crème Anglaise for dessert, beverages from Austin East Ciders, as well as wine and beer. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available, upon request. Seating is limited. Purchase tickets in advance online here.

Keeping community first, a portion of the evening’s proceeds will go to support Café Momentum’s mission, dedicated to transforming young lives by equipping the community’s most at-risk youth with life skills, education, and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential.

Hungry for more details? Here’s everything you need to know about the Red Beans Road Show:

Good, Simple Food & New Friends

Louisiana food writer, photographer and “general n’er-do-well” Pableaux Johnson meets up with local restaurant chefs in each town or city he visits, to host an informal, family-style feast featuring “good, simple food, camaraderie and appropriate misbehavior.” 

Pableaux Is a Hoot!

Buy your tickets and show up to eat, drink and shoot the breeze with culinary and culture enthusiasts. As ringleader and organizer of the shenanigans, Pableaux gives a short presentation on Louisiana foodways that will leave you hankering for all things Louisiana, and then it’s a fun night of breaking bread (Pableaux’s grandpa’s skillet cornbread, that is), eating down-home, delicious food and drinking a cold beer with a roomful of friendly strangers. 

Local Chefs Are in on It

Pableaux cooks his signature Red Beans & Rice made with Camellia Brand Red Kidney Beans, and his local chef partners serve up a simple starter (like deviled eggs or hand pies) and a dessert (like bread pudding or homemade pie). 

Comfort food casseroles. Everyone loves them, and they make for easy, one-pot, delicious weeknight dinners — especially when they can be prepped ahead of time and baked or cooked when you’re ready to feed your folks. They’re great time-saving meals for the back-to-school rush and can be quickly re-heated after weekly sports practices and soccer games.

These warm, hearty, casserole recipes are perfect for fall and feature favorite southwestern-style flavors and ingredients like black beans, pinto beans, corn, cilantro, green onions, rice, rotisserie chicken, shrimp, and more. By incorporating beans, we’ve not only upped the flavor factor, we’ve increased the protein and fiber in each dish — a real win-win.

Time-Saving Meal Prep:

Make-Ahead Beans – The key to making these recipes super convenient is to cook batches of  beans in advance, then refrigerate or freeze them in portioned storage bags — so that they’re ready to use when you’re putting together a recipe. You might be tempted to used canned beans, but there are so many advantages to using dried beans, and they’re more convenient than you think! Plus, a 1-pound package of Camellia Brand dried beans is a much better value, yielding about 5-6 cups of cooked beans.

Shrimp and Black Bean Skillet Casserole

The bright, fresh flavors of this simple dish appeal to everyone! The combination of shrimp, lime juice, cilantro, and green onions pairs perfectly with black beans and Jasmine rice, and the recipe works well served hot or at room-temperature. It’s also lean and heart-healthy! Prep your ingredients ahead of time, and the recipe comes together quickly and easily in one large skillet. And if you have any leftovers (it’s so good, you might not), stuff the extra mixture into vine-ripened tomatoes and serve chilled for a lovely lunchtime meal.

Time-Saving Tips: 

1. If possible, buy shrimp that are already peeled. All they need is a quick rinse under running water.
2. Use make-ahead black beans.

Smoked Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

This is a perfect, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead dish that’s hearty, filling, and flavorful. Faster and easier than rolling and stuffing individual enchiladas, this casserole comes together in a 13×9 baking dish by creating layers of a chicken and bean mixture, a sour cream and enchilada sauce mixture, corn tortillas, and cheese. Whether you’ve got a big family to feed, or you’re gearing up for a casual weekend gathering with friends, this is an awesome recipe to put on the menu.

Time-Saving Tips:

1. Buy and shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
2. Use make-ahead black and pinto beans.
3. Assemble casserole ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.

Vegetarian Black Bean & Rice Casserole

This colorful, satisfying vegetarian dish is excellent either on its own with a green salad, or as a side dish to grilled meat, chicken, or seafood. Featuring beans, corn, rice, diced green bell pepper, chopped red onion, cream cheese, and various seasonings, it’s a versatile casserole that comes together quickly and also makes a great taco filling. Does your family do taco night? Fill warmed tortillas with the mixture, and let everyone top their own tacos with shredded cabbage or lettuce, salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

Time-Saving Tips:

1. Cook rice ahead of time and refrigerate till ready to use.
2. Use make-ahead black beans.

Fresh Two-Bean Salsa

Wondering what to do with all those leftover beans and vegetables? While this delicious salsa recipe isn’t a casserole, it is a tasty way to use them all up. With both black and pinto beans, corn, vegetables, cilantro, and lime juice, the dish can be thrown together easily. For best results, make it at least 12 hours before serving, allowing the flavors to meld in the refrigerator. Then serve with tortilla chips, as a taco filling, or as a cold or room-temperature topping for grilled fish or chicken.