Green Gumbo
from Vegetarian Resource Center - Boston, USA

Our latest invention in the fat free vegetarian soul food category:

• 1-1/2 c. veggie stock (or prepared bouillon)
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1/2 lb fresh okra, sliced 1/4" thick
• 2 lg. portobello (or ordinary) mushrooms, diced small (1/4")
• 1/2 c. fat-free roux (see blow)
• 3-4 ribs celery, sliced across in 1/4" pieces
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Pepper, veggie bouillon

Roux: Put 1/2 c. flour in a large-bottom well-seasoned cast iron pot or skillet and stir constantly over medium-low heat until caramel colored and toasty smelling (You could use a non-stick skillet--I use an old cast iron "gumbo pot" I inherited).
As soon as it gets to the point you want it, put in the chopped pepper, onion, celery and mushrooms and stir, increasing heat a bit, until the onion is clear (and the whole thing smells wonderful and "cooked").

[If you prepared a couple cups of the toasted roux flour ahead and stored it in the icebox, you should then dry saute the vegetables until the onion is clear and edges a bit brown, and it smells *good*--

THEN add the 1/2 cup of toasted flour and stir in, then proceed with the rest of the recipe].

Now add all the other ingredients, including the kale and the stock the kale cooked in.
Cook for 20 min. to a half hour, or until the okra is done but still a bit crunchy.

Taste for seasoning; if it needs more salt, add veggie bouillon to bring it up and round out the flavor.

Serve hot over cooked rice, and pass the Tabasco.
If you like, you could also sprinkle a 1/4 tsp of gumbo file over it at the table, but this is not necessary because the okra is in there.

4 generous servings.

We put a big ring of rice in a flat soup bowl, put a big scoop of fat-free refried beans in the middle, and put the gumbo in a ring over the rice.
On the side we had toasted french bread and a head of roasted garlic to spread on it.
T'was a satisfying fall meal.