Gumbo des Herbes, prepared from a recipe adapted from ‘The Dooky Chase Cookbook’ by Leah Chase
By Leslie Brenner
If you think of gumbo as a seafood-happy soupy stew punctuated with (and thickened by) okra, you’re absolutely right. In fact the word “gumbo” comes from gombo, which means “okra” in several west African languages.
But seafood gumbo is just one iteration of the dish, and gumbos don’t always include okra. In fact, the “queen of all gumbos” — the one that New Orleans residents look forward to eating just once a year at the legendary Dooky Chase’s Restaurant — has neither okra nor any seafood in its long list of ingredients.
That one day — Holy Thursday in the Catholic calendar, which is always the Thursday before Easter — is coming right up this week. That’s when gumbo-loving New Orleaneans will be taking their seats at Dooky Chase’s, founded in 1941 by Emily and Dooky Chase, Sr., to enjoy a bowl of its famous Gumbo des Herbes. It’s the most celebrated version of the dish more broadly known as gumbo z’herbes.
The one served at the restaurant is thickly verdant, packed with nine kinds of greens, along with smoked ham, two kinds of sausage, beef brisket, veal brisket, onions, garlic and more.
Dooky Chase’s is “completely booked for dining in” on Thursday, says Tracie Griffin, granddaughter of Leah Chase — the matriarch who headed the Chase family and its restaurant until she died three years ago at age 96. “But take-out is available.” If you happen to be in the New Orleans area and want to partake, you can call the restaurant to pre-order.
Next best thing: Cook up a pot at home
If you’re not in NOLA, you can still enjoy the tradition. Invite your friends and family, help yourself to Dooky Chase’s recipe below, and cook up a big, delicious pot. Chef Edgar “Dooky” Chase IV generously shared with us the recipe from The Dooky Chase Cookbook, by his grandmother, Leah Chase.
Want to learn more about gumbo z’herbes and its history? Last year, Chloé Landrieu-Murphy wrote a fascinating story about it. As she explained, it’s an important dish in the region for Catholics who abstain from meat during Lent — the 40 days of reflection leading up to Easter.
READ: “In celebration of gumbo z’herbes, a gloriously green, soul-nourishing Louisiana Lenten tradition”
For that reason, there are myriad versions of vegan gumbo z’herbes — and Landrieu-Murphy created a fabulous one for us.
Chloé Landrieu-Murphy’s Vegan Gumbo Z’herbes
‘Jubilee’ Gumbo Z’herbes
We’ve also got an excellent recipe adapted from Toni Tipton-Martin’s marvelous book Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking.
Whether you’re vegan or omnivorous, Catholic, atheist or a food lover of any faith, do consider diving into a bowl of the queen of all gumbos. You’ll be glad you did.
RECIPE: Dooky Chase’s Gumbo des Herbes
RECIPE: Chloe’s Vegan Gumbo Z’herbes
RECIPE: ‘Jubilee’ Gumbo Z’herbes
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