{"id":5758,"date":"2014-09-05T17:27:15","date_gmt":"2014-09-05T17:27:15","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2019-04-16T12:37:19","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T12:37:19","slug":"new-orleans-inspirations-fava-bean-tempeh-okra-file-gumbo-html-d1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laughfrodisiac.com\/2014\/09\/05\/new-orleans-inspirations-fava-bean-tempeh-okra-file-gumbo-html-d1\/","title":{"rendered":"New Orleans Inspirations: Fava Bean, Tempeh, & Okra File Gumbo"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span>\"Picture\"<\/a>Oh okra, you beautiful alien you<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\n

     Oh lordy lord, how good is gumbo?! WHO DAT! When I was in New Orleans last month, gumbo was obviously being sold everywhere you looked. I had delicious Gumbo Z’Herbes<\/a> at the famous Gumbo Shop, which is a naturally vegetarian (and vegan if the roux isn’t made with butter) traditional gumbo, with parsley and cabbage and other leafy greens. I loved it and I could eat something like it every day, but seeing the tremendous variety of more interesting non-veg gumbos made me hella jealous.
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I was so happy to find a meaty vegan gumbo at Seed<\/a>, my favorite restaurant in NOLA, which used sausage-y seitan and a darker, more tomato-based broth than the zerby one (how I pronounce it because I only had one semester of French). So, seriously on my first day back home, I decided to make gumbo that was inspired by the Seed version’s meatiness but that retained the vegetable-heavy, healthy soul of Tess D’Zerbervilles. It also showcases okra, in my mind a necessary gumbo ingredient, and uses a variety of beans. Also! The file powder came straight from a central grocery store in NOLA, so it’s all totally legit. (Yes is it Zatarain’s but like that’s how you Jazz It Up!)<\/div>\n
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<\/span>FAVA BEAN, TEMPEH, & OKRA FILE GUMBO<\/strong><\/font><\/span><\/div>\n
So, I’ve heard that okra, file powder, and a roux are all different thickening options, so you are only supposed to – or you only need to – use one, because they do the same job. I refuse to cut good solid American jobs so we are using all of them buster! <\/em>
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Ingredients<\/font><\/u><\/p>\n
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  • <\/span>2\/3 C canola oil<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 2\/3 C chickpea flour <\/span><\/li>\n
  • 2 medium onions, small dice <\/span><\/li>\n
  • 1C chopped carrots<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 3C chopped celery (about an entire heart plus a ½ cup or more<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 3C chopped okra<\/span><\/li>\n
  • ½ C chopped mixed bell peppers (had some red and green left over from previous night’s salad, as well as a few tomatoes!)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 1C fava beans (found the awesome frozen favas pictured at Trader Joes!)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 5 cups broth or water<\/span><\/li>\n
  • ½ T thyme<\/span><\/li>\n
  • lots of black pepper<\/span><\/li>\n
  • ½ T salt<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 1 package tempeh <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Several handfuls of kale or your preferred leaf<\/span><\/li>\n
  • file powder*<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Directions<\/u><\/p>\n

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    1. First, we will make the roux. You can use any type of fat and flour to make a roux, but I like the ease of using (and finding, no matter the land) canola oil and the extra nutrient boost and earthy flavor from chickpea flour.<\/li>\n
    2. Over medium high heat, pour the oil into a big pot and let heat for a minute. Drop a pinch of flour in, and if it bubbles, whisk in the rest of the flour. <\/li>\n
    3. Continue stirring or whisking as it forms a paste. Be careful not to let it burn; constant attention is necessary. <\/li>\n
    4. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes. It should brown nicely. <\/li>\n
    5. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and cook until very soft, a good 8-10 minutes. <\/li>\n
    6. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme, stir through.<\/li>\n
    7. Then, add the okra, peppers, and broth or water and bring to a boil. Let it boil for a minute then lower it to medium heat, add the fava beans and kidney beans, and cover. Let it cook for about 20 minutes. <\/li>\n
    8. Meanwhile, get out a frying pan. Chop the tempeh into small bites and dry-fry it over medium high heat until it is nicely browned (probably 10-15 minutes, flip midway).  <\/li>\n
    9. Make sure the okra is really soft like a baby’s bottom. Add the kale. <\/li>\n
    10. Once everything is really soft and yummy, add the tempeh into the pot. Let it rest on a low boil for at least 5 minutes so everything can get magical.<\/li>\n
    11. *Add file powder to individual bowls, not to the pot, because this makes a ton and file powder gets wanky in stored leftovers, and apparently could also make the fresh gumbo too thick and somewhat stringy. Just sprinkle a dash on top of your bowl. <\/li>\n
    12. Enjoy!!!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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This is a roux a what a roux<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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If you are fancy, you can call this mirepoix. But only if you’re fancy<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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My new fave find<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Frozen 2: The Fava Beans<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Tempeh is the best food everrrrr<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Kalesss<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I hope you make this or something like it, because gumbo is the shizzzzzz and I don’t just mean the school where Elphaba and Galinda met. What are your thoughts about what defines gumbo? Is it the okra? The roux? The use of file? The fact that you have to eat it with a top hat on while listening to Iko Iko Un-Day? Let me know! <\/p>\n

You know what, I’m gonna leave you with that song, because it is an even bigger part of New Orleans than gumbo…maybe. <\/p><\/div>\n

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