Gumbo Z'herbes

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped mustard greens
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped turnip greens
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped collard greens
• 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 quarts water (8 cups)
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 lb veal stew meat, well trimmed and cut into small pieces
• 3/4 lb ham, well trimmed and cut into small pieces
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (to taste)
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature (1/2 stick)
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups cooked rice
• file powder (optional)
• additional hot pepper sauce

Recipe

• 1 combine first 11 items in dutch oven or other large pot.
• 2 cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer while preparing remainder of recipe.
• 3 melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• 4 add onion, green pepper and celery and saute until limp.
• 5 add to greens, stirring to blend well.
• 6 heat oil in same small skillet.
• 7 saute veal and ham in small batches until browned;add to dutch oven.
• 8 when all meat has been added, simmer 1 hour.
• 9 add green onion,garlic, parsley, pepper sauce, salt and pepper and mix well. (if desired remove about 1 quart gumbo, puree in blender and return to dutch oven.).
• 10 simmer about 1 1/2 hours.
• 11 combine remaining butter with flour and mix to a smooth paste.add a small amount at a time to gumbo and stir until well blended.
• 12 cook another 30 minutes.
• 13 serve over about 1/2 cup rice in soup bowls.
• 14 top each bowl with a sprinkle of file' powder, if desired, and serve with additional hot pepper sauce.