Gumbo zherbes is a unique and flavorful dish that combines the best of both Creole and Cajun cuisine. Originating in the bayous of Louisiana, this hearty stew is typically made with a rich roux, okra, and a variety of meats and vegetables. The zesty flavors of the gumbo are enhanced by the addition of fresh herbs and spices, such as thyme, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice cook, this article will provide you with all the information you need to create a delicious and authentic gumbo zherbes.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
LEAH CHASE'S GUMBO Z'HERBES
The story of Leah Chase reads like a social history of New Orleans. Creole-born across Lake Pontchartrain, she started waitressing in 1941-part of the first group of female servers in the French Quarter-when the men were off at war. In '46, she began working at her in-laws' restaurant, Dooky Chase's, where jazz greats such as Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, and Sarah Vaughan would congregate. "There was no place else for them to eat when they came to town," Leah said. Then in the 1960s, with desegregation, Leah began "learning what they were doing on the other side," in places like Commander's Palace, where her clientele now had the opportunity to dine. For her, the strength of the SFA is its ability to transcend borders and bring people together over food. Every year on the Thursday before Easter, she used to cook up to 100 gallons of her Gumbo Z'Herbes, made with nine different types of greens. All of New Orleans, from Catholics to Jews, whites to blacks, would flock to her gumbo pot en masse. "The best way to know people is through food," she says. "Get them to talk about food. Talk over food. It might be about food, but you're also talking about issues."
Provided by Leah Chase
Time 2h50m
Yield Makes 10 to 12 Servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Combine first 11 ingredients and water to cover in a 15-qt. stockpot; cover. Bring to a boil over high heat (about 20 minutes). Uncover; boil, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Coarsely chop greens.
- Combine smoked sausage and next 2 ingredients in pot with 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Boil, stirring once, 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook chorizo in hot oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels, reserving 3 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.
- Make a roux: Stir flour into reserved drippings with a wooden spoon, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until flour is medium brown (about 15 minutes; see "Master the Art of Making Roux," page 5, as a guide). Add flour mixture to mixture in stockpot, and stir well. Add chopped greens mixture and 5 cups reserved cooking liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Stir in salt, thyme, red pepper, and chorizo. Cook, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes. Stir in filé powder; stir vigorously. Serve over hot cooked rice.
GUMBO Z'HERBES
This simple, vegetarian take on gumbo focuses on hearty greens made extra flavorful by simmering with the holy trinity onion, celery, and bell pepper. This would be great with hot sauce and toasted benne (sesame) seeds. Or, top each bowl with seared or grilled andouille or Conecuh® sausage.
Provided by John Somerall
Time 2h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Cut leeks in half lengthwise, then slice both white and green parts crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Remove and discard stems from collard greens, turnip greens, kale, and chard; chop all greens, keeping them separate. Dice celery stalks and reserve leaves for garnish.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and 1 tablespoon thyme; cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add collard greens, turnip greens, and cabbage; cook, stirring frequently, until greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add kale, chard, and 1 tablespoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until all greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking greens, stirring frequently, until tender and no longer bitter, about 10 minutes. Remove greens from the pot and transfer to a large bowl; set aside until ready to use.
- Wipe out the pot and melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour mixture is dark brown in color and very aromatic (try to get this mixture as dark as possible without burning it), about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, onion, and diced celery; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme; cook, stirring constantly, until tender and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in vegetable broth. Add reserved braised greens, add bay leaves, black pepper, file powder, and crushed red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with remaining 1 tablespoon salt.
- Serve over cooked rice and garnish with reserved celery leaves, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 231.7 calories, Carbohydrate 38.8 g, Cholesterol 15.3 mg, Fat 7 g, Fiber 8.2 g, Protein 7.7 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 1282.7 mg, Sugar 5.6 g
GUMBO Z'HERBES
Categories Soup/Stew Leafy Green Pork Super Bowl Mardi Gras Ham Spinach Turnip Winter Mustard Greens Gourmet
Yield Makes 8 to 10 main-course servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy pot. Add cabbage and simmer, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer cabbage with tongs to a colander reserving cooking liquid, then add half of mustard, turnip, and beet greens to cooking liquid. Simmer uncovered, 5 minutes. Transfer greens with tongs to colander with cabbage, then cook remaining greens in same manner and transfer to colander. When greens are cool enough to handle, finely chop.
- Add ham hocks to cooking liquid (liquid will not cover them completely) and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Transfer with tongs to a cutting board to cool. Transfer ham broth to a bowl, adding water if necessary to measure 5 cups liquid. Discard skin, bones, and fat and finely chop ham.
- Cook onions and garlic in butter in pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add ham broth in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Add chopped greens, ham, thyme, and minced chile and simmer, uncovered, until greens are tender, about 8 minutes.
- Gradually add spinach, stirring until wilted. Stir in parsley, vinegar, and salt. Serve with hot sauce and additional vinegar if desired.
GUMBO Z'HERBES
This hearty vegetable gumbo is traditionally eaten on Holy Thursday to fortify worshipers for Good Friday, a day of fasting and abstinence from meat. I've seen recipes that contain everything from chicken wings to spicy chaurice sausage (a Cajun cousin of chorizo) to smoked brisket. Custom also dictates that the gumbo is supposed to have an odd number of greens--five or seven or nine and as many as fifteen--for luck. Many recipes include foraged herbs such as peppergrass, as well as the green tops from radishes, carrots, and beets. Leah Chase, the Grande Dame of NOLA, is world famous for her Gumbo Z'herbes. At her restaurant, Dooky Chase, there are three lunch seatings on Holy Thursday, serving nearly five hundred guests. Most recipes are quite the production, featuring multiple pots and pureeing vast quantities of simmered greens. I've streamlined the recipe by using baby greens and prechopped greens to avoid pureeing them at the end. Aim for the odd number in any combination of "z'herbes" you'd like. This amount of liquid is suitable for 3 pounds of greens.
Provided by Virginia Willis
Categories main-dish
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add both kinds of sausage; cook until the sausage is cooked through and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a plate.
- Add the remaining 5 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the onion, poblano, and celery and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the stock and stir to combine.
- Plop the ham hock in and bring to a boil over high heat. Return the chorizo and andouille to the pot. Add the collard greens, kale, spinach, cabbage, green onions, and thyme. (You may need to let the greens cook a bit between additions so they will all fit in the pot. Don't be tempted to add additional liquid too soon: It's easy to add but hard to remove, and you want the gumbo to be dense and like stew, not soup.) Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the greens are tender, about 45 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Add hot sauce to taste. Serve ladled over cooked white rice with hot sauce on the side.
GUMBO Z'HERBES
Almost anything green is game here: Good options include turnip or beet greens, spinach, kale, fresh herbs, and green onions.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Time 3h25m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add ham hocks and onion; cook until onion has softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add greens; cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, 7 to 9 minutes. Add broth, 6 cups water, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme; season with salt and cayenne.
- Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook the gumbo 2 1/2 hours, or until ham hocks are tender and greens are very tender.
- Remove ham hocks from pot; shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Return meat to gumbo. Remove and discard bay leaf. Season with salt, and serve over rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 221 g, Fat 11 g, Fiber 8 g, Protein 16 g, SaturatedFat 2 g
GUMBO Z'HERBES
This is a green variation of the hundreds of gumbo recipes that utilizes frozen varieties of greens. You may use fresh greens if you have access to them. Originally from an October 1980 issue of Bon Apetit that showcased Creole dishes in an article titled"Creole Cooking at the Source". Cornbread is a great accompaniment with this!
Provided by Leslie in Texas
Categories Gumbo
Time 3h30m
Yield 8-10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 28
Steps:
- Combine first 11 items in Dutch oven or other large pot.
- Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer while preparing remainder of recipe.
- Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion, green pepper and celery and saute until limp.
- Add to greens, stirring to blend well.
- Heat oil in same small skillet.
- Saute veal and ham in small batches until browned;add to Dutch oven.
- When all meat has been added, simmer 1 hour.
- Add green onion,garlic, parsley, pepper sauce, salt and pepper and mix well. (if desired remove about 1 quart gumbo, puree in blender and return to Dutch oven.).
- Simmer about 1 1/2 hours.
- Combine remaining butter with flour and mix to a smooth paste.Add a small amount at a time to gumbo and stir until well blended.
- Cook another 30 minutes.
- Serve over about 1/2 cup rice in soup bowls.
- Top each bowl with a sprinkle of file' powder, if desired, and serve with additional hot pepper sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 545, Fat 28.7, SaturatedFat 12.4, Cholesterol 106.8, Sodium 748.1, Carbohydrate 47.8, Fiber 7.7, Sugar 5.6, Protein 26.2
GUMBO Z'HERBES WITH RED BEANS
Categories Bean Garlic Leafy Green Onion Vegetable Vegetarian High Fiber Winter Gourmet
Yield Makes 24 cups, serving 10 to 12 as a main course
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) cook oil and flour over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a flat-edged metal or wooden spatula, until roux is the dark reddish-brown color of chestnut shells, about 45 minutes. (Alternatively, make Microwave Brown Roux and transfer to skillet.) Roux may be made 1 week ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered, in a glass or stainless-steel bowl. Reheat roux in skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, before proceeding. Stir in onions, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
- In a 10- to 12-quart heavy kettle bring 4 quarts water to a boil and add carrot tops and assorted greens. Simmer greens, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer greens with tongs to a large shallow baking dish, letting excess cooking liquid drip into kettle and reserving all cooking liquid. Cool greens until they can be handles and chop coarse.
- Stir beans and remaining 3 quarts water into reserved cooking liquid and simmer beans, covered partially, until tender, about 1 hour. (Older beans may take longer to cook.) Add roux mixture by large spoonfuls, stirring well after each addition, and stir in greens, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gumbo, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Gumbo may be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, and chilled, covered.
- Serve gumbo ladled over rice in large soup plates.
GUMBO 'ZERBES
A traditional Louisiana gumbo, and a wonderful way to use up bits of greens from the garden, or the grocery. Use things you used to throw away - radish tops, turnip tops, beet greens - and discover how very good they actually are.
Provided by Jenny Sanders
Categories Gumbo
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Wash the greens, roll them up and shred them finely, and measure them.
- Steam them in the water that clings to them.
- Set them aside, with any cooking liquid from them.
- Mix the peeled chopped onion with the seasonings.
- Set aside.
- Make a roux by cooking the fat and flour, stirring constantly, until it browns, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the seasoned onions, and cook them slowly for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly stir in the stock.
- If using leftover rice, break it up and stir it in.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the greens, heat through, and serve.
- If using rice freshly made for this dish, omit adding the rice to the gumbo.
- Put some in each bowl and serve the gumbo over it.
- (Just simmer the gumbo 10 minutes after the roux and stock have been mixed, then add the greens.).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 406.9, Fat 14.2, SaturatedFat 1.9, Sodium 1.8, Carbohydrate 62.9, Fiber 1.5, Sugar 1.6, Protein 5.7
Tips:
- Use a variety of seafood: The best gumbos include a variety of seafood, such as shrimp, crab, oysters, and crawfish. If you can't find all of these seafoods, use what you can find.
- Don't overcook the seafood: Seafood cooks quickly, so be careful not to overcook it. Otherwise, it will become tough and rubbery.
- Use a good quality stock: The stock is the base of the gumbo, so it's important to use a good quality stock. You can use chicken, seafood, or vegetable stock.
- Add a roux: A roux is a mixture of flour and fat that is used to thicken the gumbo. The roux should be cooked until it is a dark chocolate color.
- Add the holy trinity: The holy trinity is a mixture of onions, celery, and bell peppers. It is a essential ingredient in gumbo.
- Add spices: Gumbo is a spicy dish, so don't be afraid to add spices. Common spices used in gumbo include cayenne pepper, black pepper, and paprika.
- Let the gumbo simmer: Gumbo is a dish that is best when it is simmered for a long time. This allows the flavors to meld together and develop.
- Serve gumbo with rice: Gumbo is traditionally served with rice. You can also serve it with cornbread or potato salad.
Conclusion:
Gumbo is a delicious and versatile dish that can be made with a variety of ingredients. It is a popular dish in Louisiana and is also enjoyed in other parts of the United States. With a little planning and effort, you can make a delicious pot of gumbo that your family and friends will love.
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