Vegetable Gumbo

Name: Vegetable Gumbo
Ingredients: 1 green or red chilli, seeded and chopped; 500 g (1 lb) courgettes, trimmed and sliced; 200 g (7 oz) green beans or runner beans, topped and tailed, sliced if using runner beans; 200 g (7 oz) green beans or runner beans, topped and tailed, sliced if using runner beans; 500 g (1 lb) Maris Piper, Cara, or other small potatoes, which should be scrubbed; 1.5 litres (2½ pints) vegetable stock; 150 g (5 oz) okra; 1 green or red chilli, seeded and chopped; kernels cut from 2 or 3 corn cobs seasoning; kernels cut from 2 or 3 corn cobs seasoning; 1 teaspoon filé; powder; 1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges; 1 large aubergine, about 400 g (14 oz); 400 g (14 oz) chopped tomatoes – canned will do; 1-2 tablespoons olive oil; sea salt

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Modern Classics

By Frances Bissell

Published 2000

About

If you can get powdered filé, so much the better. This dried and powdered sassafras is what gives the gumbo its distinctive texture, somewhat thick and shiny. Extra okra can be used in place of filé. The chilli can be left out, or increased to taste.

Ingredients

sea salt
1 large aubergine, about 400 g (14 oz)

Stew
Gluten-free
Vegan

Method

Dice and lightly salt the aubergine, and leave it in a colander for half an hour or so, and then rinse and dry it thoroughly.

In a large casserole brown the aubergine and onion in the oil without burning them. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and they too begin to caramelize.

Add the potatoes and a third of the stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, and