Recipes

Happy Spring! Gumbo Z’Herbes recipe

mcjuli

A Louisiana Spring tradition

Vegan / Gluten Free

Ingredients:

  • 4 ‐ 6 bunches of greens, including nearly any combination of at least 5 – 7 different “herbs”, such as: dandelion leaves, lovage, mustard greens, kale, escarole, turnip tops, watercress, endive, nettles, chicory, spinach, radish tops, beet greens, scallions, ramps, parsley, arugula, chickweed, nasturtium leaves, etc.)
  • 1 onion and / or shallots, diced
  • 3 celery ribs, diced
  • 1 small fennel bulb & fronds, chopped
  • 1 Anaheim or poblano pepper, diced
  • 6 ‐ 10 cloves garlic, smashed & chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Good‐sized handfuls of fresh herbs to taste, including: thyme, oregano, marjoram, tarragon
  • Dashes, to taste: ground allspice, ground cayenne, smoked paprika, ground cloves, black pepper, white pepper, salt
  • 8 ‐ 10 cups stock / broth; can include some white wine
  • Small amount of thickener (gluten free flour, corn starch or potato starch)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Gumbo file powder, for serving
  • (Optional‐but‐not‐traditional: sliced okra, zucchini, sautéed after adding the celery but before adding the stock.)


Wash greens well to remove grit. Remove & compost tough pieces of stems, ends, etc. Chop greens & set aside (I don’t recommend pre‐boiling them as many recipes suggest – it ruins the nutrients and the beautiful green color fades!)

In a large, heavy‐bottomed stock pot make a roux of the flour and shortening. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the tarragon, thyme, bay leaves and sauté 5 more minutes.
Add the stock / broth, greens, spices, and remaining seasonings. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Adjust seasonings as necessary. (Keep some greens out to add at the last minute if a brighter green color is desired). Add more stock if the gumbo gets too thick.

To serve, scoop gumbo over your favorite rice (basmati, jasmine, brown, white, red, black), sprinkle a bit of the file powder on each bowl, & pass the hot sauce (smoked Tabasco is nice).

Homemade vegetable stock in progress for use in Gumbo

Spring Fever

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imageThe signs are subtle at first. A robin here, a tuft of new green there… Then it crescendos undeniably, reaching a fevered pitch – until the snow and cold winds are gone without a doubt… and life starts bursting at the seams again, in a new cycle of growth and lush greenery.

To me, the first signs of true spring are always the mosses and the ferns in the forest, and the garlic and lovage shoots pushing up through layers of compost and mulch in the garden, undeterred by s few more frosts – certain that the sun’s warmth will continue.

Whether you are in a place you can forage safely for wild greens or not,  one of the best antidotes to Spring Fever is a fresh green salad, vibrant with the flavor of Spring. Here is a recipe for one of my favorite salads, which we used on a Talkeetna River rafting trip to film an episode of the Food Network’s “Beach Eats” several years ago…

Spring Salad of Mesclun & Wild Greens with a Lovage-Allium Dressing

The International Year of Pulses

The International Year of Pulses

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The United Nations has declared that 2016 will be the International Year of Pulses in order “to raise awareness about the protein power and health benefits of all kinds of dried beans and peas, boost their production and trade, and encourage new and smarter uses throughout the food chain.”

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has a great website with information about everything you ever wanted to know about pulses, which are are a subgroup of legumes. (The term”legume” applies to the whole plant, whereas “pulses” are the dried seeds of legumes – such as dried beans, peas, and lentils.)

To celebrate the IY of Pulses, here is a garlicky lentil soup recipe which can be adapted in many ways.  It may be thickened a bit more with less liquid and more vegetables, to use as a stew or over rice.

Lentil Garlic Soup

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients: (all measurements approximate, adjust “to taste”)

  • 1 or 2 large shallots, diced
  • Several cloves of fresh garlic, smashed and chopped
  • 2 stalks of fresh celery, diced
  • 2 fresh carrots, diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon of thyme and / or oregano
  • 1 cup of lentils
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (organic, extra virgin)*
  • 1 teaspoon sage
  • about 5 cups vegetable broth or water
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • Paprika or Pimenton
  • Optional: sea salt or umeboshi plum vinegar to taste
  • Optional: ½ cup dry sherry, Manzanillo, or Marsala wine
  • Optional: fresh or dried lemon peel
  • Optional: Chopped tomatoes to taste

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add shallots / onion, carrot, and celery; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. Add half of chopped garlic; stir for a few more minutes. Add herbs, and stir more.  If using sherry add now.  After stirring again for a few minutes, add lentils, liquid, bring almost to a boil, then turn low and simmer for a while to blend flavors.  Garnish with chopped parsley or scallions, and a squeeze of lemon.

*Note: For folks on a whole-foods-plant-based diet who wish to consume no oil, water or broth may be substituted for the initial saute of the onion, garlic, and herbs.