In this definitive cookbook, Ronni Lundy draws upon her Kentucky mountain roots and on the recipes and food passions of the fellow Southerners--from home cooks to a new generation of professional chefs--she has met in her extensive regional travels. Lundy cooks her way through the bounty of the Southern garden, from succulent purple speckled butter beans and lady cream peas
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.
Makes 4 quarts - Serves 16
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
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
Z'Herbes
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
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.
