Okra

[Andrew Fenton]

Kristin, I didn't know that okra was from the hibiscus family. That is very cool.

I've become a big fan of okra, a happy state for which I have the missus, a Southerner, to thank. Last night I made a family recipe of hers, "okra gumbo". I add the scare quotes because it's not actually gumbo but a stew; still, it's really wonderful.

It's dead easy: fry some chopped bacon, sautée some onions (I added green pepper and celery because, hey, "gumbo"), add chopped okra and crushed tomatoes, let simmer until it's ready. I had a whole bunch of leftover tomato juice from a sauce-making binge and used that instead. Fantastic.

[Sneakeater]

Okra proves that even a green vegetable can be good, if it's slimey.

[Pontormo]

Mike: Since you just moved to Georgia, I suggest you post an I Seek...(what are they called?) message in your regional forum and find yourself a local mentor. Then report back to us all.

Andrew: Great suggestions...I see you responded earlier in rather amusing thread.

My thing is that I just made a big corn and tomato casserole last night, so I am looking for something without tomatoes, but Mike, tomatoes are the way to go for a virgin.

[Dana]

Andrew Fenton, if you take that stew, add some chicken thighs, smoked sausage, let that cook for 45 min, then add some small shrimp and serve the whole mess over some frice, you will truely have heaven on a plate.

[Andrew Fenton]

Andrew Fenton, if you take that stew, add some chicken thighs, smoked sausage, let that cook for 45 min, then add some small shrimp and serve the whole mess over some frice, you will truely have heaven on a plate.

←

Dana, you had me at "add some chicken thighs".

Anyway, mrbigjas had an interesting suggestion for really good fresh okra on a recent thread:

i think it's good enough to eat raw. a nice dish of mashed silken tofu with raw okra and tomatoes, and a little soy and sesame oil.

Interesting how, even when raw, okra and tomatoes are a natural combination.

[Kent D]

Absolutely no...

[ludja]

...

My thing is that I just made a big corn and tomato casserole last night, so I am looking for something without tomatoes, but Mike, tomatoes are the way to go for a virgin.

←

cornbread with fresh corn and chopped okra

okra fritters/pancakes made with cornmeal

Nice recipes for both in Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock's, "The Gift of Southern Cooking".

[slo_ted]

Yes. Especially raw--right off the plant in the garden.

[*Deborah*]

Only in gumbo.

[Andrew Fenton]

Yes.  Especially raw--right off the plant in the garden.

←

Again, I say: who knew? I thought you had to cook the evil out.

Well, if my farmers' market has really good okra again today, maybe I will try some raw. For science.

[kristin_71]

Kristin, I didn't know that okra was from the hibiscus family.  That is very cool.

It is a beautiful plant. Loves the hot, humid weather we get here in Ohio, much like in the south. It is absolutely the best when fresh right off the plant.

[crouching tyler]

Okra ?

Yes, Please.

[barritz]

Okra ?

Yes, Please.

←

Make that a table for two.

Yes.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Yes, especially with tomatoes, lemon, and garlic, served over quinoa.

[Doodad]

Fried Mike fried. Redneck popcorn. I can make a meal of it on its own.

[Jacquester]

Oh yeah!

The slime is sublime

[pax]

Yes

Qulifier: If I cook it.

[kayb]

Okra newbies should never make the mistake of buying supermarket frozen okra, encased in its little batter shells, which fries up approximately like ammunition for a .50-caliber machine gun. That is an abomination.

Take fresh okra pods about 3-4 inches long and as big around as your thumb. Slice them about 1/2 inch thick, put them in a bowl, and forget them on the counter for about 20 minutes. This gives the okra time to ooze, and you need the ooze to make the cornmeal stick. Put cornmeal (NOT cornmeal mix!) in a bag with salt and pepper to taste; add the okra and shake. Heat about 1/2 inch oil in a (preferably) cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, and put in one okra; when it starts to brown, the oil is hot enough. Scatter okra slices in the oil and fry until golden brown, flipping a time or two; do not overcrowd the skillet, but fry in batches. Drain on paper towels and eat while it's hot. Preferably with sliced ripe tomatoes, sauteed squash and onions, and purple hulled peas.

Meat? Who needs it?

[Kajikit]

Not unless it's fried!

[nibor]

A couple of days ago I mistakenly put small (thumb-sized) whole okras into an overheated frying pan containing a little olive oil. They got torched, and even though I hurried they were pretty brown by the time I got them out. I added halved cherry tomatoes, drizzled on some balsamic vinegar, and served them whole. Delicious. No slime. We devoured them.

[ZeroDosage]

Yes yes yes! A thousand times YES!

[Hassouni]

I followed @My Confusing Horoscope's pictorial almost to the letter and got this:

 

 

A few changes - I added celery to the onions, pepper, and okra, and added peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and fish sauce to the stock.

 

 

This is one of the best gumbos ever, and I've made a lot of gumbo.

[Dr. Teeth]

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2020 at 12:01 PM, Hassouni said:

I followed @My Confusing Horoscope's pictorial almost to the letter and got this:

 

 

A few changes - I added celery to the onions, pepper, and okra, and added peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and fish sauce to the stock.

 

 

This is one of the best gumbos ever, and I've made a lot of gumbo.

 

Looks super.    Did you notice the lack of a roux at all?

[chefmd]

I made unauthentic gumbo.  Roux made with butter and shmaltz.  No celery but I did have onions and green peppers.  Kielbasa instead of andouille sausage.  Chicken and okra.  Rice from Baja Fresh.  It was delicious!  Also posted in dinner thread.

 

Also made roasted crunchy okra.  Ate most of it prior to posting.

 

[Hassouni]

2 hours ago, Dr. Teeth said:

 

Looks super.    Did you notice the lack of a roux at all?

 

WIth that much reduced okra, it was actually thicker than most roux gumbos I've made