re: Red Bean Gumbo

Just remembered this vegetarian recipe for Gumbo Z'herbes with Beans that shows a little different approach.


Gumbo Shop's Gumbo Z'herbes with Beans

"Finally, I can eat greens. But... I have to warn you, this recipe takes 2-3 days to make. On the plus side, it's such a huge batch you can freeze it and you're set for the year.

This recipe comes from our hands-down favorite restaurant in New Orleans, The Gumbo Shop. I've actually had their crawfish etouffee shipped in for Valentine's Day; it's that good. Oh wow.

But the gumbo, the gumbo... it's vegetarian, loaded with greens, spicy, and hits the spot when it's cold outside."

1 lb dried small red beans
1 lb mushrooms
1 cup olive oil
1 cup flour
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper (I used red)
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup minced garlic
6 bay leaves
1.5 tsp thyme
1.5 tsp black pepper
2 tsp white pepper
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbs salt
1 gallon water
1 bunch collard greens, chopped
1 head cabbage (small), chopped
1 bunch turnip greens, chopped
1 bunch mustard greens, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 Tbs soy sauce
Cooked Rice

Day 1:

Cook the beans: Rinse and sort the beans. Place in a large pot, covered with about 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, then cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 2 hours, then return to heat. Cook at a low simmer (so the beans don't crack) until al dente, about 90 minutes. Drain, but save the bean water for Day 2.

Chop the greens: Chop all the greens in 1-inch pieces. Keep the collards and cabbage separate from the other greens. You'll be really glad you did it ahead of time. Trust me.

Day 2:

Smoke the mushrooms: Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on a pan; place in a smoker for about 45 minutes. When done, coarsely chop and set aside.

Make a roux: In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the flour and stir constantly. The oil/flour mixture will bubble a lot. Then it will quickly stop bubbling and start to turn dark... watch closely because it'll burn quickly! When the mixture is peanut butter colored, immediately add the onion, bell pepper and celery. Saute until veggies are tender and start to stick and brown a little. Add the shallots, garlic, herbs, salt and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the chopped, smoked mushrooms to the roux and cook 2 minutes.

Cook the greens: Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, bring the water (start with the bean water and add tap water to reach a gallon) to a boil. Boil the cabbage and collards until just tender. Add the turnip greens, mustard greens, and green onions and return to a boil. (A 10oz package of frozen greens may be substituted for any of the fresh greens.)

Mix! Carefully stir the roux mixture into the simmering greens, and return to a boil. Add the parsley, cooked red beans, and soy sauce to taste.

Day 3: Heat & Eat

Cook some rice. Bring the gumbo to a boil one more time, then turn off heat. Serve over cooked rice.

Yield: about 2 gallons of gumbo

Tips
Freezes well. Gumbo Shop recommends waiting til day 3 to eat and I concur. It makes a huge difference in the flavor. Don't skip the white pepper; it matters. Do a taste test at the end of day 2 and add more spice accordingly; I ended up doubling the garlic.