Glorius Green Gumbo

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 quarts water
• 1 lb collard greens, washed well, destemmed, and roughly chopped (or 1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen)
• 1 lb turnip greens, washed well, destemmed, and roughly chopped (or 1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen)
• 1 lb kale, washed well, destemmed, and roughly chopped (or 1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen)
• 1 lb spinach, washed well, destemmed, and roughly chopped (or 1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen)
• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1 1/2 cups onions, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup green pepper, destemmed, deseeded, and diced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 3 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups brown rice, rinsed
• 1/4 cup parsley, freshly chopped
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• tabasco sauce or hot sauce, for garnishing

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, place the 2 quarts of water, and bring to a boil.
• 2 cook the collard greens in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes to blanch them.
• 3 using a slotted spoon, remove the collard greens from the boiling water, place them in a large bowl, and set aside.
• 4 cook the turnip greens, kale, and spinach in the same manner, and add to the bowl of collard greens.
• 5 if using frozen greens, cook them individually in the boiling water until thawed, then remove them with a slotted spoon, and place them in a large bowl for later use.
• 6 set the cooking liquid aside for use in the gumbo.
• 7 in a large pot, stir together the oil and flour to form a roux.
• 8 cook the roux over medium heat, while stirring constantly for 20-30 minutes, or until it is a golden (nutty) color.
• 9 add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, stir well to combine, and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
• 10 slowly, stir a little of the greens' cooking liquid into the roux-vegetable mixture, blending them thoroughly together, and then stir in the remaining cooking liquid.
• 11 add the reserved greens, cabbage, creole seasoning, salt, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil.
• 12 cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
• 13 meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the 4 cups water to a boil.
• 14 add the brown rice, stir well, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
• 15 remove the saucepan from the heat, leave covered, and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the rice to steam.
• 16 after the gumbo has simmered for 45 minutes, add the parsley and nutritional yeast, and simmer an additional 5 minutes.
• 17 taste and add additional creole seasoning or salt, if needed.
• 18 serve the gumbo in bowls over the brown rice, and garnish individual servings with a little tabasco sauce, if desired.
• 19 * note: you can substitute other fresh or frozen greens of choice such as, swiss chard, mustard greens, beet greens, or escarole.