Gumbo Z'Herbes

(click to enlarge)	Gumbo Z'Herbes USA, Louisiana Cajun
(click to enlarge)	Makes: Effort: Sched: DoAhead:	6 cup *** 1-1/2 hrs Yes		A traditional Gumbo made on Holy Thursday (Maundy) in preparation for Good Friday's strict fasting. Originally vegetarian, meats are now commonly added - see Comments and Options.

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Greens (1)
Cabbage, green
Bay leaf
Water
-- Trinity
Onion
Bell Pepper, green
Celery
-- Seasoning
Allspice Berry
Thyme, dried
Oregano, dried
Basil, dried
Salt
-- Finish
Parsley, fresh
Olive Oil
-- Serve with
Steamed Rice

Do Ahead - (2+ hours - 40 min work)

Float Wash GREENS and drain. Remove thick stems and discolored leaves. Tear into large pieces. Core CABBAGE and chop into about 1 inch chunks. Mix.
In a large stock pot, (5 quart is good) bring the water to a boil and stir in the Bay Leaves and all the Greens. Bring back to a boil and tumble Greens until wilted and down in the Water. Hold at a fast simmer, covered, until the Greens are quite tender but not mushy. Tumble them a couple of times. Time depends on the Greens and may be as short as 45 minutes, but if you have included American Collard Greens, it could be up to 2 hours.
Strain Greens, reserving the Cooking Liquid. Press out excess water.
When you can handle the Greens, remove Bay Leaves and chop Greens quite fine, but not to mush! You can now add them back to the Cooking Liquid.

Prep - (30 min)

Chop ONION small. Cap and seed BELL PEPPER and chop small. Trim CELERY and chop small. Mix all.
Chop PARSLEY medium.
Mix all Seasoning items.

Run - (1 hrs)

In a sauce pan (3 quart), heat Olive Oil and stir in Trinity mix. Fry stirring until onion is translucent.
IF using: Meats, they go in now and fry stirring for a few minutes, or until all raw color is gone if raw meats are used.
Stir in Greens, all Seasoning items, and reserved Cooking Liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for about 20 minutes - or if using Meats, time appropriate for their cooking needs. Adjust liquid if needed while cooking. It should end up as a fairly loose stew.
Stir in Parsley for a couple minutes.
Serve hot over Steamed Rice (long grain) - see Serving.

NOTES:

Greens:
Weight of Greens is "as purchased" - 2-1/4 pounds should yield about 1-34 pounds. This Gumbo should include at least 5 different Greens, or up to 15. The photo example was made with Cabbage, Kale, Mustard, Turnip, Chard, Dandelion, Daikon tops, Chrysanthemum, Lettuce, and Curly Endive. Others to choose from are: Spinach, Beet Greens, Chicory, Carrot Tops, Radish tops, Watercress, Arugula, Sorrel, Pepperweed, Mallows, Goosefoot, etc. Cabbage is usually listed specifically, with the other herbs up to your choice. Molokhiya (sold here in Southern California as "Okra Leaf") will provide some thickening, depending on quantity.
Options:
- Meats:
  In recent times all kinds of meats have been added, from a single Smoked Ham Hock to various sausages, ham, beef, pickled pork and more. Which, how many, and how much is up to you. The famous Dooky Chase cookbook by Leah Chase calls for almost as many types of meats as greens, and in greater weight, and it doesn't deserve the name "Gumbo Z'Herbes" - it isn't even green. Nobody else calls for anywhere near that.
- Roux:
  Roux is now common, probably starting about the time meats started to be added. How dark is very controversial, with some saying paper bag color, others dark chocolate. For this more original version I do not use Roux, but if I did I'd use it fairly light. Roux can be made separately and added after the Trinity, or made in the pot before stirring in the Trinity. About 1/3 cup Olive oil (or Butter) and 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour.
- Cajun Seasoning
  (or Creole Seasoning) Best used when there is meat in the Gumbo. See our recipes for Cajun Seasoning and Creole Seasoning. They are pretty much interchangeable.
- Filé
  Ground Sassafras Leaves. If you want it a little thicker, you can make a Tablespoon or so of Filé into a slurry with water and stir it in just before taking off the heat. Not too much or the Gumbo will be stringy. You could also provide dry Filé on the table so diners can sprinkle a little on their bowl if they wish. If the Gumbo has been off the heat you could stir in a tiny bit of Xanthan Gum (It's very powerful) which doesn't need the heat to thicken.
- Hot Sauce
  Provide Hot Sauce on the table. Crystal, Tabasco, and Louisiana are appropriate brands.
Serving:
In my opinion, this dish doesn't stand well alone unless it has meat, thus for vegetarian "serve over Rice" to make sure Rice is included. Some use a scoop and plunk a scoop of Rice in the middle of the bowl. For buffet service, since guests will never follow instructions, I stir the Rice into the Gumbo just before putting out on the buffet. It would also be good with short Pasta, such as Ditali, thought that is not "authentic".
Comments:
This is a very traditional dish, so it will be made a little differently in each household and for different kinds of events. It is traditionally made vegetarian on Holy Thursday (Maundy) to serve on Good Friday, which has strict fasting rules. If it is made to consume on Holy Thursday, which is NOT a fasting day (fasting is optional), or any other non-fasting day it can contain meat.
This recipe is compiled from a half dozen of the most authentic recipes I found. It is most useful to me in the original strictly vegetarian form, as a vegetarian offering on the party buffet, but anyone who wishes to is free to add meats as they please - except on Fasting Days for Catholics and some other Christian denominations.
U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste

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Gumbo Z'Herbes

Greens:

Options:

Meats:

Roux:

Cajun Seasoning

Filé

Hot Sauce

Serving:

Comments: