Gumbo Z'herbes (Green Gumbo)

Title:
Gumbo Z'herbes (Green Gumbo)

Yield:
8 Servings

Categories:
Cajun,
Soups,
Pork,
Ham




Ingredients:





    10 oz Fresh spinach OR


    10 oz Package frozen leaf spinach


    10 oz Fresh mustard greens OR


    10 oz Pkg frozen mustard greens


    10 oz Fresh turnip greens OR


    10 oz Pkg frozen turnip greens


    10 oz Fresh collard greens OR


    10 oz Pkg frozen collard greens


   1/2    Medium cabbage, shredded


     2    Bay leaves, minced


     1 ts Dried leaf basil


     1 ts Dried leaf thyme


     1 ts Dried leaf oregano


   1/4 ts Ground allspice


   1/8 ts Ground cloves


   1/4 ts Fresh grated nutmeg


     4 qt GOOD chicken stock


     1 lb Lean boneless pork


     1 lb Smoked ham


   2/3 c  Vegetable oil


     2    Lg onions, chopped


     4    Celery stalks, chopped


     1    Lg green bell pepper, chop


     4    Lg garlic cloves, chopped


     2 tb Sugar


          Salt


          Fresh ground black pepper


          Cayenne pepper


    24    Shucked oysters with liquor*


    12    Green onions, thinly sliced


   1/2 c  Flat-leaf parsley, minced


 3 1/2 tb File powder (approximately)


     5 c  Hot cooked rice


          SEASONING MIX:


   1/2 ts Salt


   1/2 ts Fresh ground black pepper


   1/2 ts Cayenne pepper


   1/2 ts Paprika


   1/2 ts Onion powder


   1/2 ts Garlic powder






 *24 oysters equals about 2 pints.


 Wash fresh greens; tear into small pieces.  Remove large stalks and ribs.


 (If using frozen greens, thaw and drain before proceeding). Place cleaned


 or thawed greens, cabbage, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, allspice,


 cloves, and nutmeg into a large soup pot. Add stock and enough water to


 cover greens by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer while


 preparing remaining ingredients. Prepare Seasoning Mix. Cut pork and ham


 into bite-size pieces. Add meats to Seasoning Mix. Shake to coat lightly.


 Set seasoned meat aside while oil heats. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet


 over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, add seasoned meat; stir until


 brown on all sides.  Remove browned meat with a slotted spoon; add to


 simmering greens.  Reduce heat to medium; add onions, celery, bell pepper,


 and garlic to skillet. Cook until vegetables are wilted, about 5 minutes.


 Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon; add to simmering greens. Stir in


 sugar; simmer, uncovered for one hour. Season to taste with salt, black


 pepper and cayenne. Cover; simmer 2 hours. About 10 minutes before serving,


 GENTLY stir in oysters with their liquor, green onions, and parsley. Cook


 until edges of oysters curl. Spoon about 1/2 cup rice into each soup bowl.


 Spoon gumbo over rice; top with a pinch of file powder. Makes 8-10


 good-sized servings.


 To prepare Seasoning Mix: Place all ingredients in a large plastic bag and


 shake to combine.


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini