Vegan Gumbo

veganGumboThis vegan gumbo is also gluten-free and wheat-free. Note: it takes one person about 3 hours to make it, due to all the chopping.  Invite friends over, tell them to bring crusty bread, a salad and dessert, then put all hands to work washing and chopping vegetables, making the roux and sautéing the root vegetables.

  • 2/3 cup cornmeal (not a blend or mix, which contains flour)
  • 2/3 cup tapioca starch or rice flour
  • 2/3 cup olive oil for roux
  • 10-12 cups coarsely torn fresh greens, several different kinds
  • 1 very large onion, chopped (2 cups chopped fresh onion)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil to sauté vegetables
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper (color is optional)
  • 4-6 large radishes, chopped (can substitute zucchini or carrots)
  • 2-3 small or medium turnips, chopped (can substitute potatoes)
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 bunch bok choy – chop the white stalks and coarsely tear the greens
  • 64 oz vegetable broth (two 32 oz cartons)
  • 4 bay leaves (dried or fresh)
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspiceOldBayTonyChachereSeasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons Old Bay or Tony Chachere’s seasoning
  • Garnish: sliced tops from 4 green onions
  • Optional garnish for carnivores: crisp fried bacon bits
  • Optional Cajun condiments: Tabasco sauce, Gumbo file powder

Chop greens: Separate all the greens, including the bok choy leaves and begin chopping them.  Mix all the chopped greens together in a large soup pot or bread bowl (I keep huge stainless bowls for my my kolache and yeast roll dough to rise in plenty of space).    Divide the greens in half and chop one of the halves into tiny pieces with a food chopper.  Set both sets of greens aside.

Chop root vegetables, bell pepper and celery: Chop the onion, radishes, turnips, celery, bell pepper and bok choy stalks into similar size pieces.  Every piece should easily fit in the bowl of a soup spoon.  Mince the garlic – or just cut into very small pieces.

Sauté Vegetables

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil over high in a very large non-stick skillet then sauté the garlic and onion first.  When the onion and garlic begin to brown, add the other chopped vegetables and keep sautéing until sides of some of the vegetables begin to brown.  Stop short of burning the vegetables.  Spoon the vegetables into a large bowl and set aside. Wipe any remaining vegetables from the skillet with a paper towel and then make the roux in the same skillet.

Make the Roux

This roux creates the smoky base that is unique to Cajun and Creole foods, but it is not an authentic Cajun or Creole roux because it does not use flour.

Add 2/3 cup olive oil to a large non-stick skillet and turn heat to high.  As the oil begins to heat, sprinkle the corn flour and tapioca starch over the oil and stir with a heat-resistant spoon.  The roux will thicken and the corn meal will turn dark first, then color the tapioca starch.  Keep stirring over high heat for 5-10 minutes, until the roux is a blend of the colors of multi-grain Cheerios.

Combine Vegetables, Roux and Broth

Pour the broth into a very large soup pot and add the roux, stir to combine well, then add the greens and sautéed vegetables.  Heat on medium (5 on a scale of 1-9) and stir frequently to prevent the roux from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.  Add the spices: bay leaves, cloves, allspice, oregano, salt and Old Bay or Tony Chachere’s seasoning.

Simmer and stir 10-15 minutes more.

Serve hot as is or over steamed rice.

Place garnish (chopped green onion tops and crisp fried bacon) and Cajun condiments on the table for each person to use as they please).

Makes 2 quarts, enough to feed 8 people hearty servings.