Maw Maw Gertie would say, “Lawd, lawd, Ed, ole Dane done made d’gumbo wit out no meat.” I guess my Cajun family would cringe at this recipe, but it is the new gumbo recipe at my house. It has a whole wheat roux, okra and kale. Add a little potato salad, green onions and parsley and oooh weee…it’s some good, yeh!
I’ve been wanting to share more of my revised Cajun family recipes, and today’s snow begged for gumbo so here is the first one: Green Gumbo.
First, I have to show you the snow.
This is our tiny snowman that James and I built this morning. I so wanted a big one, but I couldn’t find my gloves (Alabama weather doesn’t require gloves often). It was a challenge to create this little tiny man. He still has a carrot nose. We just cut a tip off of a baby carrot and I found tiny buttons and his hat is my sock all rolled up. I cut him a scarf, too. Here he is in my hands. Notice: NO GLOVES…Ouch!
Back to the gumbo. As all Cajuns would say, “Start with a roux.” This is the hardest part of all Cajun recipes. I moved to Alabama twenty-five years ago and taught my mother-in-law how to make a roux. Mainly, because I hate making a roux. It takes too long. It turned out to be the best thing I ever did. Now, all I have to do is say, “Maw, make a roux.” Then, I get my roux delivered because she knows when I ask for a roux, she’s going to get some good Cajun food.
Start with a cup of all purpose flour (but today I used whole wheat, no GMO’s) and a cup of oil. I use olive oil. The whole wheat flour doesn’t brown like the regular flour. The picture I’m showing you is Maw using regular all purpose flour. Put those two ingredients into a skillet and start stirring.
This is a long process…so be patient. Stir some more. It will start to brown, and don’t get scared about burning it. Just keep stirring.
and stir more… finally, it will be done when it’s dark like chocolate. 
Chop an onion, a half of bell pepper, and 4 cloves of garlic. Saute in a stock pot. Add Okra and Kale. Then the roux. When it’s all smooth, add the water until the pot is 3/4 full. Simmer until it’s all tender. Add the green onions. Serve with potato salad. YUMMY.
Add a little potato salad in the middle of the bowl and it’s so delicious. I even boiled an organic egg in with the gumbo…kinda like egg drop gumbo.
“Maw, Maw Gertie, James didn’t even miss the sausage or the chicken.” But, for those of you that have to have meat. Just add a ring of chopped sausage and a few chicken breasts (free range non GMO).
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½ green bell pepper
- 1 cup of green onions, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups frozen okra, I used frozen from the summer garden
- 2 cups chopped kale, organic
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
- Tony's Cajun seasoning to taste
- Make the roux. Add 1 cup flour and 1 cup oil to a skillet. Stir until smooth. Keep stirring until it's the color of milk chocolate. Set aside. This is the same roux I use for all Cajun dishes.
- Saute' onion, bell pepper, garlic in a skillet.
- Add the saute' to a stock pot. Add okra and kale.
- Fill stock pot with water and start to simmer.
- When the water reduces to about ½ of the stock pot, add the chopped green onions and parsley.
- Serve with a scoop of potato salad in the middle of the bowl.
