Gumbo Z'Herbes

Ingredients

• 1 bunch collard greens, stemmed
• 1 bunch mustard greens, stemmed
• 1 bunch turnip greens, stemmed
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed
• 1 bunch spinach
• 1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
• 1 bunch watercress
• 1 pound smoked ham, cut into cubes
• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
• 1/2 pound smoked pork sausage, sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon file powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 6 cups cooked white rice

Before you cook

• Strip the tough stems from all the greens and wash the leaves in several changes of cold water.
• Chop the cabbage and count your greens to make sure the total is seven, nine or eleven kinds.
• Dice the onions, bell pepper and celery and cube the ham.

Steps

1. Fill a very large pot with 4 quarts of water and bring it to a boil.
2. Add all the greens and the cabbage in batches, pushing each batch down as it wilts.
3. Boil the greens for 30 minutes, until they are completely soft.
4. Drain the greens through a colander set over a bowl and save every drop of the green pot liquor.
5. Puree the drained greens in a food processor in batches until they are finely chopped but not smooth.
6. Wipe the pot dry and brown the andouille and smoked sausage over medium heat for 8 minutes.
7. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
8. Add the oil to the pot and whisk in the flour to make a roux.
9. Stir the roux over medium heat for 15 minutes, until it reaches the color of peanut butter.
10. Add the onions, bell pepper and celery and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often.
11. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
12. Pour the reserved pot liquor back in a ladle at a time, stirring until smooth.
13. Add the pureed greens, the cubed ham and the browned sausage.
14. Season with the cayenne and Creole seasoning and bring the gumbo to a simmer.
15. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring often, until the gumbo is thick and dark green.
16. Taste and add salt and black pepper, keeping in mind that the smoked meats are already salty.
17. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the file powder.
18. Serve over white rice in deep bowls.