Lemony Gumbo Z’herbes

Gumbo Z’herbes, or green gumbo, was traditionally served during Lent as it could be
made without meat. According to Emeril Lagasse in his 1996 cookbook “Louisiana, Real and Rustic,” there was a legend that for every green that was put into the gumbo, a new friend would be made during the year.
In the winter we use dried herbs, but the soup is really excellent with fresh herbs in the summer.

Serves 4

• 2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1cup chopped onions
• 1/2cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/2cup chopped celery, preferably the innermost ribs (reserve the leaves for later)
• 1/2teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4teaspoon cayenne
• 1large clove garlic, minced
• 4cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
• 2pounds assorted greens: collards, turnip, beet, mustard, chard, kale, or spinach, coarsely chopped
• All the celery leaves from your head of celery, finely chopped
• 1tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2bay leaves (preferably fresh)
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 to 2tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (leave out if you want this to be vegetarian)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2small links smoked andouille sausage, cut into small pieces (optional)
• Fruity olive oil, for serving
• 1scallion, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
• Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
• Filé powder (optional)
• Hot sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, and salt, and sauté, stirring occasionally until softened but not browned. Stir in garlic and let it sweat with the other vegetables for a minute or two. Add water or stock to the Dutch oven. Raise heat until it comes to just below boiling. Add greens and celery leaves a little at a time until they are all wilted into the soup. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Halve and juice a lemon, and put both lemon halves into the soup. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, if using. Reduce heat to low and simmer soup, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. The vegetables will become mushy and the soup will be very green. This is what you’re going for. Taste and add salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more Worcestershire sauce to your taste. Fish out the bay leaves and the lemon halves and discard them. Stir in the andouille sausage if using.
2. To serve, place a scoop of rice into a bowl, pour soup over the rice, and add about a teaspoon of olive oil on the top. Sprinkle with scallions. Pass around the filé powder and hot sauce to use as desired.

http://food52.com/recipes/16601-lemony-gumbo-z-herbes