Herb Gumbo

Ingredients

• Handful of fresh spinach leaves
• Handful of radish leaves
• Handful of beet root leaves
• Handful of mustard leaves
• Handful of patience leaves
• One head of lettuce
• One dozen small pieces of ham
• Half of a chicken [or veal]
• 1 cup of water
• Dry rice

Directions

1. Clean and prepare the spinach leaves.
2. Put the rest of the leaves in hot water and let them boil.
3. Let them drip in a colander and then chop them altogether.
4. Cut the pieces of ham an inch long and 1/2 inch wide, and then fry.
5. Fry the half chicken [or veal] cut into pieces.
6. Add a cup of water and let it simmer for 45 minutes [or until soft].
7. Then add the herbs and let them simmer together for 15 minutes.
8. If too thick, add tablespoonfuls of water [consistency of a thick puree].
9. Serve hot and eaten with dried rice.

— Josephine Nicaud.

Source — Cooking in Old Creole Days.
Prepared by Victoria R. Reier
Louisiana Anthology
July 12, 2017