Green Gumbo

Green gumbo, or gumbo z'herbes, was originally a Louisiana Lenten dish, intended to honor abstinence and restriction (from meat).

Total Time50

Servings: 6 to 8

Author: From One-Hour Comfort, by America's Test Kitchen

½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 large onion chopped fine
2 ribs celery chopped fine
1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
3 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
2¼ tsp table salt divided
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
5 cups water
12 oz. collard greens, mustard greens, or kale, stemmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup frozen cut okra
1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
12 oz. curly-leaf spinach, or Swiss chard, stemmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
6 oz. green beans, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 Tbsp cider vinegar, plus extra for seasoning
2 scallions, sliced thin (optional)

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Using a rubber spatula, stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is color of peanut butter, 2 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook, until roux has darkened to color of milk chocolate, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Stir in onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt, paprika, and cayenne. Cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in collard greens, 1 handful at a time; okra; and remaining 1¼ teaspoons of salt. Cover reduce heat to low, and simmer until greens are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in black-eyed peas; spinach, 1 handful at a time; and green beans. Simmer until green beans and spinach are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, and season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar, to taste. Sprinkle with scallions, if using.
Serve.