My (this is Leigh Ann) first recipe to share with you might appear complicated, but it isn’t. You basically chop some stuff up and throw it in the pot. Basically. The only thing that requires a little time and patience is making the roux. Don’t rush the roux. If you do rush the roux, it heats too quickly and tastes burned. You want a light roasted flavor. Since this is a white gumbo, we aren’t even going to take too long to make that roux. Some can take 30+ minutes for a deeper, darker roux. We just want a blonde-caramel roux. Once that’s done, easy-peasy. So, with that, let’s roll.
I have attempted to put in some rough measurements, but ultimately this is just a one-pot dish that is really hard to mess up. Short of over-salting or over-hot-peppering for your taste, it’s pretty much fool-proof. So with every measurement below, assume the rule of “or a little more…or a little less…”.
White Bean & Sausage Gumbo
6-8 servings
1/4 C olive oil
1-2 TBS vegan butter
1/4 C flour
1 large onion
4 celery stalks (with leafy tops)
6 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
1 TBS Liquid Smoke
2 Beyond Meat Sausages (preferably Hot Italian, my store was out of those), diced
2 15-oz cans of white beans (Great Northern, Canellini, whatever), drained
2 C chopped collard greens
1 10-12 oz. bag frozen chopped okra (or fresh chopped)
4 C vegetable broth
1-2 C water
salt
thyme
gumbo file
*Optional: 2 TBS apple cider vinegar, 1 TBS smoked paprika, 2 tsp fennel seeds, and cayenne to taste (boost heat)
*Gumbo pros will notice the conspicuous absence…or incompleteness…of The Holy Trinity of Louisiana cooking. The bell peppers are missing. That’s because when I make it myself, I’m usually sharing with people who don’t care for those. Using jalapeños gives a little of that essence, plus heat. So, by all means, put the bell peppers in if you like.
1) Dice all the onions, celery, garlic, and jalapeño FIRST, because when the roux is ready, you need to be able to just dump it all in. So chop it up and you can put it all in one bowl. No need to keep it all separate. We aren’t that picky.
2) Roux time. In a stock pot, over a low heat, add the olive oil and butter. The butter adds a little savoriness and depth. When it’s all melted, begin sprinkling in the flour and stir constantly. I really mean constantly. Don’t stop stirring. Cook over low heat for about 10-15 minutes until it reaches a darker blonde, caramel color. You should be able to smell a roastiness.
3) Add your chopped onion, celery, garlic, and jalapeño. Stir it well until it’s coated with the roux. Add your Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning and Liquid Smoke, as well as other optional spices (except ACV – that’s later) if using them. Sauté over low-to-medium heat about 5-7 minutes until the veggies just start to soften. Make sure you stir often enough that the roux coating doesn’t burn. Add your chopped sausages and beans and cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring often. While that’s cooking, chop your collards if using fresh. You could also use frozen…in which case, just open the bag and get it ready!
4) Now add your broth and one cup of water, and stir everything well. (You may not need that second cup of water. Just keep it handy in case your gumbo is TOO thick.) Stir in the chopped collards and okra. Cover and simmer for as little as 15 minutes if you prefer crunchier veggies, or as long as 45-60 minutes (or longer) if you prefer a real stewy gumbo. You can turn off the heat and just let the flavors meld. For a little more tanginess, add apple cider vinegar or a vinegar-based hot sauce to the pot.
PRO(tein) TIP: Typically gumbo is served over rice. If, however, you’re looking for a really tasty boost of additional protein and minerals, look no further than buckwheat groats. You cook it like rice but with a ratio of 1 cup of uncooked buckwheat to 1 3/4 cup of lightly salted water or broth. Cook covered for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it continue to steam for another 8-10 minutes. After the steaming period it is important to remove lid and fluff it to let some of the steam heat out and allow it to stop cooking, otherwise it gets mushy.
One cup of cooked groats contains about 155 calories, with 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 33 grams of carbohydrate, and 5 grams of fiber. These groats are packed with manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, niacin, zinc, folate, and vitamin B6.
Beyond Meat Sausages: 16g protein per sausage
Beans (2 cans, I used cannellini): 21g protein per can
So with 2 sausages and 2 cans of beans, this dish brings in a total of 74g of protein, excluding any amounts coming from the vegetables.
My Biscuits Vegan Life 