Vegetarian Cajun Gumbo Food

VEGETARIAN GUMBO

Steps:

• Place vegetable oil and flour in a Dutch Oven with a heavy bottom. I like to use a cast iron Dutch oven. Turn the heat on medium and whisk continuously until mixture becomes fragrant. This should take about 5 minutes.
• Turn heat to low or medium-low depending on the size and heat your burner gives off. Continue to whisk continuously (it's alright to stop for a few seconds here and there, but not for any length of time) until roux becomes a dark caramel color, like the color of an old penny. This could take 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven from heat.
• In a food processor, process tomato, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, liquid smoke, vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce, thyme, red pepper flakes, paprika, nutmeg, and oregano until mixture is smooth.
• Place Dutch oven with roux over medium-high heat and add tomato/onion puree. Stir to mix together. Continue to cook until most of liquid has evaporated.
• Add vegetable stock and stir. Bring to a simmer.
• Add beans, mushrooms, zucchini, green and red pepper, and celery and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve with rice and green onions.

VEGETARIAN GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the frozen okra in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, breaking up any large clumps, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, until cooked through and just starting to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• As okra roasts, prepare the roux: Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. (Either vessel will help evenly distribute the heat for a better roux.) If using vegetable oil, simply heat over medium. Using a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix the flour into the fat. Stir continuously, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so the roux does not burn (a burned roux cannot be saved), until the roux transforms from pale to peanut butter to a rich cinnamon color, about 7 minutes. Remove the roux from the heat and set aside. (Pull the pot from the heat just as the desired color is reached; the retained heat will continue to cook the roux slightly.)
• Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper, and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lastly, add the Creole and Old Bay seasonings, and stir so that they coat the vegetables and are lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, stock and lentils. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cover and allow the lentils to cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. (Add more water or stock if needed.)
• Add the okra and cook uncovered until softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce, and the liquid smoke, if using. Give the cooled roux a good stir and add it to the pot, making sure to mix it in thoroughly, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt, pepper, creole seasoning or hot sauce, if desired. Serve warm over white rice or quinoa.

CAJUN VEGETABLE GUMBO

Steps:

• Place the greens in a large soup pot with enough water to just cover the greens. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water.
• On a cutting board, coarsely chop the greens and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk 1/4 cup oil and the flour together and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is a dark reddish-brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
• In the large soup pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onions, bell pepper, celery, and tomatoes for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are wilted.
• Add the hot sauce, bay leaves, file powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the roux, vegetable or faux chicken broth, and the reserved greens-cooking water, stirring well to blend in the roux.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add the cooked collard greens, okra, kidney beans, and rice and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaves and serve warm.

QUICK VEGETARIAN GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat oil over med. heat in a large pot until warm.
• Add garlic and saute briefly.
• Add peppers, stir well.
• Cook another 4 min, then add tomatoes, beans, seasoning, and sausage.
• Bring to a boil (you may need to add 1/2-1c. water now) and add rice.
• Cover and simmer 15 minute.
• Add okra and simmer another 10 minute or until rice is cooked.
• Serve with hot sauce on the side.

VEGETARIAN LOUISIANA GUMBO

Steps:

• To make Roux: In medium-sized, heavy-gauge saucepan, heat oil and garlic over medium heat, about 1 minute. Avoid browning garlic. Whisk in flour and increase heat to medium-high. Whisk continuously, and when paste begins to darken, add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Continue to whisk as roux thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• To make Gumbo: Spray 5-quart saucepan with nonstick cooking spray or wipe down with olive oil. Heat saucepan over medium-high heat and add garlic, onion, and pepper. Sauté 3 minutes, and add okra. Cook 5 minutes, and add vegetarian links and seitan. Cook mixture 8 minutes, stirring often. Add sherry.
• Add ¾ cup broth to pan. Place tomatoes in food processor, and pulse to chop coarsely. Add tomatoes to broth. Whisk remaining ¼ cup broth into roux, and stir mixture into gumbo. Add thyme, coriander, and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and serve.