Gumbo Z’herbes
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Author Notes: Gumbo Z’herbes, or green gumbo, was traditionally served during Lent as it could be made without meat. According to Emeril Lagasse in his 1996 cookbook, “Louisiana, Real and Rustic,” there was a legend that for every green that was put into the gumbo, a new friend would be made during the year. I must confess to having used my lemony chicken broth (http://www.food52.com/recipes/3443_lemony_chicken_broth) to make this gumbo, but I’ve written the recipe so that you can use chicken stock, vegetable stock, or even water. I’ve seen recipes (obviously not for Lent) that included salt meat, pickled pork, bacon and ham, but I didn’t any pork products to this recipe as my husband doesn’t really eat pork (except in Chinese food and his annual bacon...but I digress…). This recipe uses celery three ways: In the first sauté of onions, bell pepper and celery know as “the holy trinity,” as part of the “herbes,” and as garnish for finishing the soup. (When you buy a head of celery for this soup, try to buy a large head with as many leaves as possible.) - drbabs
Serves 4
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed or other vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped celery (Use the outermost ribs for this part.)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 4 cups water, vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 2 pounds assorted greens: collards, turnip, beet, mustard, chard, kale, spinach, coarsely chopped
- All the celery leaves from your head of celery, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme, oregano and basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon
- 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (leave out if you want this to be vegetarian)
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Good olive oil
- 1/2 cup innermost ribs of celery, finely chopped
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- Cooked white or brown rice for serving
- Filé powder (optional)
- Hot sauce such as Tabasco (optional)
- In a large Dutch oven, heat grapeseed (vegetable) oil over medium heat till shimmering. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and salt, and sauté, stirring occasionally till softened but not browned. Stir in garlic and let it sweat with the other vegetables for a minute or two. Add water or stock to the Dutch oven. Raise heat till it comes to just below boiling. Add greens and celery leaves a little at a time until they are all wilted into the soup. Add dried herbs and bay leaves. Halve and juice lemon, and put both lemon halves into the soup. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce if using. Reduce heat to low, and simmer soup, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. The vegetables will become mushy and the soup will be very green. This is what you’re going for. Taste and add salt, fresh ground black pepper and more Worcestershire sauce to your taste. Fish out the bay leaves and the lemon halves and discard them.
- To serve, place a scoop of rice into a bowl, pour soup over the rice, and add about a teaspoon of good olive oil on the top. Sprinkle with chopped celery and scallions. Pass around the filé powder and hot sauce to use as desired.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Celery Recipe
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about 1 year ago bpfox
Thought this was great! It turned out perfectly!
about 1 year ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it!
about 1 year ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I love green gumbo! I've made Chuck Taggart's version from the Gumbo Pages, and it's surprisingly rich and delicious. Can't wait to give yours a whirl!
about 1 year ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Thank you for telling me about this! I'd never heard of Chuck Taggart or the Gumbo Pages! I hope you try this and that you like it!
about 1 year ago aargersi
Abbie is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I love this Dr B! Have never made this version of gumbo, but now it is ON the to do list!!!!
about 1 year ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Thanks, A! I hope you enjoy it!