OKra
Charred Okra with Tomato, Garlic, and Preserved Lemon
From Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi
Serves 2
10 ½ ounces okra
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2/3 ounces preserved lemon peel, cut into 3/8-inch wedges
3 small tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges, or halved cherry tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Using a small, sharp fruit knife, trim the okra pods, removing the stem just above the pod so as not to expose the seeds.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat and leave for a few minutes. When almost red hot, throw in the okra in two batches and dry-cook, shaking the pan, occasionally, for 4 minutes per batch. The okra pods should have the occasional dark blister.
Return all the charred okra to the pan and add the olive oil, garlic, and preserved lemon. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, shaking the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons water, the chopped herbs, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Stir everything together gently, so that the tomatoes do not break up, and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomatoes are warmed through. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with more olive oil, add a sprinkle of salt, and serve.
From Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi
Serves 2
10 ½ ounces okra
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2/3 ounces preserved lemon peel, cut into 3/8-inch wedges
3 small tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges, or halved cherry tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Using a small, sharp fruit knife, trim the okra pods, removing the stem just above the pod so as not to expose the seeds.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over high heat and leave for a few minutes. When almost red hot, throw in the okra in two batches and dry-cook, shaking the pan, occasionally, for 4 minutes per batch. The okra pods should have the occasional dark blister.
Return all the charred okra to the pan and add the olive oil, garlic, and preserved lemon. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, shaking the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons water, the chopped herbs, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Stir everything together gently, so that the tomatoes do not break up, and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomatoes are warmed through. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with more olive oil, add a sprinkle of salt, and serve.
Okra, Andouille, and Crab Fritters
From Soul by Todd Richards
Serves 4
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs
½ cup fresh lump crabmeat, drained
½ cup sliced fresh okra
¼ cup chopped andouille sausage (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
1 ounce unsalted butter, melted
4 cups vegetable oil
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk together the milk and eggs in a small bowl, and add to the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Pick the crabmeat, removing any bits of shell. Fold the crabmeat, okra, sausage, scallions, and melted butter into the mixture.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a stockpot over medium. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil, being careful to not overcrowd the pot. Fry, in batches, until golden brown on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Season with sea salt flakes. Serve hot.
From Soul by Todd Richards
Serves 4
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs
½ cup fresh lump crabmeat, drained
½ cup sliced fresh okra
¼ cup chopped andouille sausage (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
1 ounce unsalted butter, melted
4 cups vegetable oil
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk together the milk and eggs in a small bowl, and add to the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Pick the crabmeat, removing any bits of shell. Fold the crabmeat, okra, sausage, scallions, and melted butter into the mixture.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a stockpot over medium. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil, being careful to not overcrowd the pot. Fry, in batches, until golden brown on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Turn and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Season with sea salt flakes. Serve hot.
Stewed Okra and Bacon over Grits
From Shaya by Alon Shaya
Serves 6
Water, for the okra and the grits
1 ½ pounds fresh okra
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ pound bacon, roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried bay leaves
¼ cup tomato paste
4 tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, plus more for serving
1 ½ cups coarse white grits (not instant)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bring a big pot of unsalted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the okra, and chop it into 1-inch pieces. Cook it for about 90 seconds, until it’s a very green, then drain and set aside. This parboiling isn’t totally necessary, since it cooks for a while later, but this keeps if from getting too slimy.
Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon, and cook for a few minutes, stirring a few times to break it apart and render most of its fat. When the first pieces are browning on the edges and your kitchen smells like Sunday morning, stir in the onion, garlic, and bay leaves, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions pieces start getting some color along the edges. Add the tomato paste, breaking it apart with your spatula, and let it toast for a few minutes to build flavor, until the oil is orange and smells like tomatoey caramel.
Add the reserved okra to the pot, along with the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season with the Worcestershire, 2 teaspoons salt, and Tabasco. Let it come back up to a simmer, and burble away, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the liquid has significantly reduced but is still bubbling. This will thicken as it sits, so leave a little time before you eat.
While the stew cooks, make the grits. Put some water in a large saucepan, following the package instruction on your grits for the right ratio; I use 6 cups water for 1 ½ cups grits. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat, then whisk in the grits. As soon as it comes back up to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low, so there’s just a bit of gentle movement in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits have absorbed all the water and are a creamy texture, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the butter until it melts. Remove and discard the bay leaves, and cover the pot if you’re not eating right away.
To serve: Scoop some grits in the bottom of a bowl and add a big ladleful of the okra. Pass around more Tabasco at the table.
From Shaya by Alon Shaya
Serves 6
Water, for the okra and the grits
1 ½ pounds fresh okra
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¾ pound bacon, roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried bay leaves
¼ cup tomato paste
4 tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, plus more for serving
1 ½ cups coarse white grits (not instant)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bring a big pot of unsalted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the okra, and chop it into 1-inch pieces. Cook it for about 90 seconds, until it’s a very green, then drain and set aside. This parboiling isn’t totally necessary, since it cooks for a while later, but this keeps if from getting too slimy.
Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon, and cook for a few minutes, stirring a few times to break it apart and render most of its fat. When the first pieces are browning on the edges and your kitchen smells like Sunday morning, stir in the onion, garlic, and bay leaves, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions pieces start getting some color along the edges. Add the tomato paste, breaking it apart with your spatula, and let it toast for a few minutes to build flavor, until the oil is orange and smells like tomatoey caramel.
Add the reserved okra to the pot, along with the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season with the Worcestershire, 2 teaspoons salt, and Tabasco. Let it come back up to a simmer, and burble away, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the liquid has significantly reduced but is still bubbling. This will thicken as it sits, so leave a little time before you eat.
While the stew cooks, make the grits. Put some water in a large saucepan, following the package instruction on your grits for the right ratio; I use 6 cups water for 1 ½ cups grits. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat, then whisk in the grits. As soon as it comes back up to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low, so there’s just a bit of gentle movement in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits have absorbed all the water and are a creamy texture, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the butter until it melts. Remove and discard the bay leaves, and cover the pot if you’re not eating right away.
To serve: Scoop some grits in the bottom of a bowl and add a big ladleful of the okra. Pass around more Tabasco at the table.
Fried Okra with Remoulade
From The Broad Fork by Hugh Acheson
Serves 4
2 quarts canola oil
2 pounds okra, cut in half lengthwise
Sea salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup Creole mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pour the canola oil into a large pot, and heat it to 350 degrees over medium heat.
While the oil is heating, place the cut okra in a mixing bowl, season it with 2 teaspoons sea salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then add the buttermilk to the bowl and let it sit for an additional 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the remoulade: In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon zest and juice, minced shallot, scallions, and 1 teaspoon of the cayenne. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt and hot sauce if needed, and reserve.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 tablespoon sea salt, the remaining teaspoon of cayenne, and the black pepper. Drain the okra and toss it in the cornmeal mixture. Add the okra, quickly but one by one, to the hot oil and cook until it is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the okra from the fryer and place it on a platter or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season the okra with sea salt and serve with the remoulade for dippin’.
From The Broad Fork by Hugh Acheson
Serves 4
2 quarts canola oil
2 pounds okra, cut in half lengthwise
Sea salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup Creole mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cornmeal
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pour the canola oil into a large pot, and heat it to 350 degrees over medium heat.
While the oil is heating, place the cut okra in a mixing bowl, season it with 2 teaspoons sea salt, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then add the buttermilk to the bowl and let it sit for an additional 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the remoulade: In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon zest and juice, minced shallot, scallions, and 1 teaspoon of the cayenne. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt and hot sauce if needed, and reserve.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 tablespoon sea salt, the remaining teaspoon of cayenne, and the black pepper. Drain the okra and toss it in the cornmeal mixture. Add the okra, quickly but one by one, to the hot oil and cook until it is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the okra from the fryer and place it on a platter or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Season the okra with sea salt and serve with the remoulade for dippin’.
Find wonderful recipes from CSA members chosen for our 2019 Okra Recipe Contest here:
www.snowsbendfarm.com/news-from-the-bend/okra-recipe-contest-results-are-in
www.snowsbendfarm.com/news-from-the-bend/okra-recipe-contest-results-are-in
