Description
This 1-pot, Gumbo Greens dish is supremely rich and flavorful and is like a warm hug made edible. It infuses two very distinct dishes (traditional gumbo & braised collard greens) in Southern cuisine and makes for one cohesive dish. What you’ll find here is gumbo-style collard greens along with chicken and andouille sausage. You’ll love the bold richness, deep flavor, and the extra comforting vibes going on here.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, for browning meat
- 1 ½ lbs andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
- 1 ½ lbs boneless/skinless chicken thighs, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons Creole Cajun Seasoning– homemade or store-bought, divided
- 1 cup duck fat (or vegetable oil as sub)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 celery hearts, finely diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 3 teaspoons gumbo filé powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
- Louisiana-style hot sauce, to taste
- 8 cups fresh chopped collard greens, cleaned & stems removed
- 8 cups (64 ounces) chicken broth
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups chopped okra (fresh or frozen)
- Cooked white rice & sliced scallions, for serving- optional
Instructions
- Brown the sausage & chicken. In a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom. Place the andouille sausage rounds into the pot. Sauté the sausage, stirring often, until golden brown and lightly crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Season the sausage with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, stirring well to combine. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the browned sausage onto a clean plate/platter. Next, place the chicken pieces into the pot. Let the chicken cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Season the chicken with 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, stirring well to combine. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the browned chicken onto the same vessel with the browned sausage, and tent the chicken/sausage with foil; set aside.
- Make the roux. In the same pot, add the duck fat (or vegetable oil) and increase the heat to medium-high. When the oil is nice and hot, with one hand, sprinkle in the flour just a little at a time, stirring continuously with a wooden utensil in the other hand to prevent any lumps. *This is where the bulk of the tedious work resides, the roux. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continuously stir the roux until it takes on a deeply rich, chocolate color, about 15-20 minutes or until color is achieved. You’ve gotta babysit the pot, stirring constantly, so that the heat slowly builds in that nutty flavor without the bottom scorching and the roux burning. If that happens, your roux is no good, and you’ll have to toss it out and start again.
- Add the trinity & sauté. When the roux color is chocolatey-brown, add the diced celery, bell pepper, and onion. Sauté the mixture, stirring often, until translucent and golden, about 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and continue cooking along with the trinity until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Build the gumbo. Return the browned chicken and sausage to the pot along with any residual juices, 1 teaspoon filé powder, white pepper, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, bay leaves, and hot sauce (to desired preference). Then add the chopped collard greens and chicken broth. Carefully stir all ingredients until combined.
- Simmer the gumbo. Adjust the heat to medium and cover the pot with a lid, leaving a slight crack. Let the gumbo simmer over medium heat for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Finish the gumbo. Uncover the pot and give the gumbo a good stir and taste test, adjust the gumbo with salt/pepper to desired taste. Then add the okra and 2 teaspoons filé powder, stirring well to fully combine. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat and let the gumbo sit for a few minutes. Find and discard the bay leaves.
- Serve. Ladle the gumbo greens into individual serving bowls. Add a little helping of cooked rice right on top of the gumbo, and garnish with sliced scallions, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Oil/fat alternatives for gumbo roux: I use duck fat here, but vegetable oil can be used as a substitute. Fats like bacon grease or plain lard are also great flavor builders for developing your roux.
- Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.