Gumbo Z'Herbes

Makes 4 quarts - Serves 16
A spicy meatless stew, Gumbo Z'Herbes was a Lenten favorite in
south-central Louisiana. Meat was forbidden during Lent, so clever Cajun
cooks used the highly flavorful spring greens that were abundant,
letting the meaty, mineral tang of collards, mustard, and the like add
body to the gumbo. You don't have to wait for Lent, however. This
healthful stew is great year-round and takes on very different
personalities depending on which "Z'Herbes" are added to the pot:
spinach and chard are subtle, while mustard and turnip greens sass back
at the pepper.
This recipe is written in two sections. The first is a gumbo base, which
I make in late summer, when fresh tomatoes and bell peppers of many hues
are plentiful. I usually take about a quart of the base and add fresh
corn and okra for a summer gumbo to be eaten on the spot. The rest I
freeze to use throughout the year.
From fall through the next spring, I combine the gumbo base with the
ingredients in the second part, Z'Herbes, to make a spicy stew of
greens. Not too spicy, however, since it's always nice to pass an
assortment of hot sauces. Any Louisiana-style hot sauce is appropriate
with this dish, but a smoky chipotle pepper sauce adds extra meaty
resonance.
Gumbo Base
12 pounds fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound white onion, chopped
1/2 pound celery, chopped
1 pound bell peppers (green, red, and/or yellow), chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon each black, white, and cayenne pepper
Peel the tomatoes and chop them coarsely. Reserve with their juice.
In a stockpot that will hold 6 quarts or more, heat the olive oil over
medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened. Add the celery
and bell pepper, and stir until all is coated with oil. Add the
seasonings and stir to mix well. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low,
and cook 15 to 20 minutes (stir occasionally to make sure the vegetables
don't stick. If it looks as if they are browning, turn the heat down.)
Add the tomatoes and juice to the pot, turn the heat up, and stir. When
the mixture begins to bubble, cover, and turn the heat down a bit. Cook,
covered, for 30 minutes at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally to
keep the ingredients from sticking.
This base may be used immediately, or cooled and then frozen in quart or
pint containers for up to six months.
Z'Herbes
1 quart gumbo base
1 cup water
1 cup fresh lima beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup fresh chopped okra
1/4 pound chard, spinach, mustard, or turnip greens
salt
black, white, and cayenne pepper
8 cups cooked white rice
hot sauce
In a 4-quart saucepan, bring the gumbo base and water to a boil.
Immediately add the limas, corn, and okra. Cover, turn the heat down,
and cook at a lively simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse the greens thoroughly. Remove the stems and trim any
rough ends. Chop the stems into 1/8-inch lengths and add them to the
gumbo base in the final 10 minutes of cooking.
Cut the leaves into strips about 1/2-inch wide. Add them to the pot.
Cover and simmer for 20 to 40 minutes, until the greens are tender.
Taste and add salt or pepper, if needed. Serve ladled over hot rice.
Pass hot sauce on the side.
Note: Of course you can add garlic! The gumbo will have a clean, green
taste without, a more buttery taste with. I like it both ways, as you
may too; so don't put the garlic in the gumbo base. Add it, if the
spirit moves you, with Z'Herbes, one chopped clove at a time, to taste.


Source: alt.cooking-chien
 

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