Gumbo Z'herbs - Leah Chase
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Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 19:04
Topic: Gumbo Z'herbs - Leah Chase
Posted By: gonefishin
Subject: Gumbo Z'herbs - Leah Chase
Date Posted: 18 February 2013 at 13:13
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Gumbo Z’Herbes recipe from Leah Chase [Dooky Chase, New Orleans, Louisiana]; http://www.ladlesandjellyspoons.com/2012/04/leah-chase-gumbo-zherbes-recipe-for-maundy-thursday/" rel="nofollow - linked from Ladels and JellySpoons website Jadin loin, gombo gaté. (Jardin loin, gombo gâté) “When the garden is far, the gumbo is spoiled.” An old Creole saying. Given the large number of green ingredients in this dish it is definitely one to make after a trip to the local farmers’ market. Leah Chase’s gumbo is so steeped in history and folklore it’s a shame to keep it to just one day of the year and remember – always use an odd number of greens. 1 bunch mustard greens Tabasco to taste! Serves 8 to 10 over steamed rice. 1. Clean greens under cold running water, making sure to pick out bad leaves and rinse away any grit. Chop greens coarsely and place in a 12-quart stockpot with the onions and garlic. Cover with water (about 1 1/2 gallons), bring mixture to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. 2. Strain greens and reserve liquid. 3. Cut all meats, except the chaurice, into bite-size pieces (about 1 inch pieces) and place in 12 quart stockpot with 2 cups of the reserved liquid. Steam over a high heat for 15 minutes. 4. Meanwhile cut the chaurice into bite size pieces and place in a skillet over high heat to render, about 10 minutes. Remove chaurice, keeping the grease in the skillet and set aside. 5. Blend greens in a food processor until puréed. 6. Heat the skillet of chaurice grease over a high heat and add flour. Cook roux until flour is cooked, about 5 minutes (does not have to be brown). Pour roux over meat mixture and stir to combine. 7. Add pureed greens to the meat in the stockpot and 2 quarts of the
reserved liquid. Let simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes. Add
chaurice, thyme and cayenne, stir well. Season and add some rough chopped assortment of greens to the pot and simmer for
------------- Enjoy The Food! |
Replies:
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 18 February 2013 at 14:38
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Lovely idiom, historical recipe. Maybe a great recipe for Spring Break when I am off. Have to hunt down File. Sausages are not a problem. Collards doubtful however we have Acelgas ! an indigenious chard. They have a slight similarity to collard taste wise. Great post. Margi ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: gonefishin
Date Posted: 18 February 2013 at 21:07
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Your adaptation sounds lovely already, Margi! If you go to the link there's a nice article on Leah Chase and her restaurant as well. Eat well! Dan ------------- Enjoy The Food! |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 18 February 2013 at 23:46
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Shall definitely Dan. Shall certainly be an interesting Medit. New Orleans Fusion. Kind regards. M. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: AK1
Date Posted: 19 February 2013 at 22:04
| Sounds like a great recipe. I can get all the ingredients no problem but the file powder. That will take some doing. If I can dig some up, I'll be making this dish on Maundy Thursday. |
Posted By: gonefishin
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 06:10
While I do like file' powder, it is not mandatory. You're using a roux for thickening and it's flavor (in soup) is subtle...nice, but subtle. Dan ------------- Enjoy The Food! |
AK1 wrote:Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 06:16
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Dan. What exactly are the spiced in File Powder ? I recall Rod or Brook once told me hoever it was quite awhile ago. Can make my own ! And Ak1 too. Thanx in advance. Margi. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: gonefishin
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 06:29
Margi, it's ground up leaves from a sassafras tree. I tried buying and planting one in my back yard...but it didn't make it,   ------------- Enjoy The Food! |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 08:47
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Appreciate the info & photo. Thanks so much. Now I recall the leaf. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: AK1
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 12:59
| Got lucky, and found File powder locally, so I'm good to go for Maundy Thursday. |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 13:09
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Dan. It looks like several flora varieties in North ... I shall look for Latin name ... Maybe www.foodsub.com has suggestion. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 13:23
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I am no southerner, so I could be wrong, but ~
If you have access to okra, Margi, then the file powder is unnecessary as either the okra or the file powder can act as a thickening agent. ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 13:39
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Tas. Okra is very popular amongst Dominicans. Yes I have Latin Fruit & Veg Mkt. I have seen Okra fresh & frozen ... We thought it a fun dish for our Usa colleague friends ... Stg different. Thanx. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 14:30
Tas, you are correct! For an Arctic boy!!  They do taste very different, not sure how that would work in this recipe. You have a lot of "greens" going in there already. Don't know. ------------- Mark R |
Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 14:37
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Just to clarify, you can use either file` or okra to thicken a gumbo, but I have never substituted one for the other. They are kind of used in different types of recipes. Well, I have used both in one. ------------- Mark R |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 14:54
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Mark & Dan. Do u know of any other subs for File Leaves ? Thickeners; can be a boiling potato ? Thanks in advance. Margi. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 14:56
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There are probably lots of thickeners - arrowroot, cornstarch......but then, would it be gumbo? ------------- If you are a visitor and like what you see, please http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/registration_rules.asp?FID=0" rel="nofollow - click here and join the discussions in our community! |
Posted By: AK1
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 15:38
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Yes it would. "The use of roux is mandatory, or else it's just considered a soup or stew. Ground sassafras leaf, known as filé, is generally not added until after the vegetables and meats and/or seafood are finished cooking and removed from the heat source. The use of filé is optional. The use of okra and tomato is an influence of the Creole." This is a good read. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumbo
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Posted By: gonefishin
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 16:04
Hi Margi! (simply omit the file' and/or okra from the recipe with no substitutions) I do not know of any subs for file' powder. File' powder is best used as a condiment, on your own plate. I always refrain from adding file' to the vessel I'm cooking, you don't want to heat it too much. If you add it to your own bowl, give it a stir and it will thicken as it sits in the hot food. The flavor of file', once put in your food...is very subtle and adds a nice something extra (that people have trouble describing) Okra will also thicken, but it is not to be used as a substitute so much as a different ingredient that thickens. Of course okra has it's own flavors and textures it adds to a dish. Either file' or okra can be used in dishes, but while they share some of the same desired properties...they are two different things. Do you need to use file' or okra in any gumbo? No. The gumbo most people make are going to be made with a roux, most gumbo recipes have more than enough roux to provide sufficient thickening. When making most any gumbo recipe, they can be made without file' or okra. Each provides a nice touch, but neither is essential in nearly all gumbo recipes. There is no need for boiling potatoes, no need for potato "spuds", no need for blended beans and no need to make a slurry with cornstarch and water. Just make the recipe, using your nice roux, and omit file' and/or okra if you don't have it...no need to substitute anything. enjoy the gumbo! ------------- Enjoy The Food! |
Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 18:59
| Well said, Dan. |
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 20 February 2013 at 23:51
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Thanks Dan. I shall omit both file and okra. I have to call Taste of America .. They may be able to ontain. ------------- Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina. |
Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 21 February 2013 at 12:46
Well put! I serve the file` on the side. To be added as to personal taste. Some people do not like it at all. It is a subtle flavor anyway. But ya gotta have a roux! Most okra gumbo recipes will have "okra" in the title. ------------- Mark R |