Hearty Green Gumbo
Hearty Green Gumbo
Hearty Green Gumbo
Hearty Green Gumbo

Hearty Green Gumbo

David Venable

This creole creation brings a southern staple to your table…without having to make the trip!

Spice Mix

  • 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation

To prepare the spice mix, mix together all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and reserve.
To prepare the roux, whisk together the flour and peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Continue whisking and watch for the mixture to begin to darken. You'll want to watch as it reaches a caramel color and then a milk chocolate color. It shouldn't darken any more than that shade. Remove from heat and let cool.
To prepare the soup, put 3 Tbsp peanut oil in a 6-qt stockpot and over medium heat. Sauté the onions, garlic, celery, and green peppers until softened. Stir in 3 Tbsp of the spice mixture, then add sausage and sauté briefly. Put in the hocks, herbs, and stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes. When tender, remove the hocks and let cool.
Remove the meat and cut into a small dice. Return it to the stockpot. Whisk in the roux. Simmer on low for an additional 30 minutes. Skim the surface of excess oil as necessary. Stir in all of the greens, then simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until greens are tender. Check for seasoning and incorporate salt and pepper as needed. (Wait to season the soup with salt until the end—the hocks and sausage add a fair amount of salt to the broth on their own.)
To assemble the dish, ladle piping-hot soup into bowls over rice.

Roux

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup peanut oil

Soup

  • 3 Tbsp peanut oil
  • 2 onions, medium dice
  • 2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, medium dice
  • 2 green peppers, medium dice
  • 2 lbs Andouille sausage, sliced
  • 2 smoked ham hocks
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 10 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups collard greens, stemmed and sliced into 1" strips
  • 2 cups kale, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 cups Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
  • 2 cups spinach, stemmed
  • Rice, for serving

Cook's Notes

Feel free to substitute your favorite hearty greens into the recipe. For a truly authentic food experience, add crawfish tails or shrimp and sprinkle on gumbo filé powder.

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