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TEAM ROUX

arugula, giving it a taste she described as “lemony.”

Once those greens simmered together, the grinding began. “It takes some doing because I don’t like it chopped. I grind it so it’s smooth.” Smoked sausage, ham, fresh chaurice sausage and stew meat were all added to the gumbo. “Creoles like to see the meat in their gumbo z’herbes,” Leah advised. Filé powder provides thickening at the end of the cooking and, at Dooky Chase, fried chicken always accompanies the annual feast, along with bread pudding for dessert. Unlike red beans & rice (which Leah bemoaned was supposed to be just for Mondays but in recent times was expected on her menu every day), gumbo z’herbes remains reserved for Holy Thursday alone at the restaurant. In her later years, over 1,500 people came to Dooky Chase on Holy Thursday for Leah’s gumbo z’herbes; it was a day she loved and a tradition that her family continues today. “When you see people enjoying their food and they’re so happy — it makes you happy,” Leah said. At Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, Leah’s gumbo still makes people happy every day. The oft-proclaimed “Queen of Creole Cuisine” passed away in 2019, but Leah’s legacy lives on in every bowl of gumbo served.

PHOTO BY ROMNEY CARUSO

HAMBONE GUMBO ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Chef Luke Hidalgo combines the best of Creole, Cajun and country in his Hambone gumbo, named for his Old Mandeville restaurant and acclaimed as one of Louisiana’s best. Hidalgo starts with a dark brown roux, adds fresh Louisiana Gulf shrimp, and seasons with ham hocks and collard greens. The gumbo is served Cajun-style with a scoop of pickled okra potato salad.

DEATH BY GUMBO ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto created Death by Gumbo for their Restaurant R’evolution in the New Orleans French Quarter. It is served with oysters, andouille and a nearly boneless whole quail stuffed with rice flavored with parsley and filé powder in the middle of the bowl.

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