Okra: The Misunderstood Vegetable

Hate okra? Who could hate such a cute little veggie??

Here's what I have learned about how to prepare it...

Okra should be small: no thicker than 3/4 inch, but 1/2 inch is best. After washing, rub each one with a kitchen towel to remove some of the hairs. Cut off the pointed ends and stem ends, and discard or compost them. The best knife for slicing okra is one with a serrated edge.

When sliced no thicker than 1/4" and sautéed in oil, fresh okra is not likely to be slimey. It tastes great simply sautéed in olive oil with onions, salt, and pepper. You can use frozen okra in your favorite gumbo, but be prepared to get slimed. Adding hot water after cooking will help disguise it.

The small, tender ones are good eaten raw, too... a nice addition to your crudité list.


Here's another okra recipe:
Summertime Gumbo

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Tonight's ice cream flavor: banana, pure and simple.

Summertime Gumbo

There's something about gumbo that tastes like comfort food... maybe the allspice. My mother used to make okra gumbo when I was growing up. Fresh tomatoes, fresh okra, fresh onion... this recipe makes the hot summer's abundant okra totally yummy and not slimey. Less cooking than regular gumbo, too.

SUMMERTIME GUMBO (Vegan)

3-4 cups cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 cup sliced fresh okra, 1/4" thick (use only the skinny ones)
1 med. onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp.)
2 med. tomatoes, diced or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
6 shakes Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
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Sauté the okra, onion, garlic, chili powder, and allspice in olive oil. When the onions are softened, turn off the heat and stir in tomatoes, Tabasco, thyme, and salt. Cover to heat up the tomatoes a bit without actually cooking them, until ready to serve over rice. Serves 4.

You can find more info on cooking okra here:
Okra: The Misunderstood Vegetable

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Tonight's ice cream flavor: cantaloupe... best when soft and ripe and juicy and with a tiny bit of honey.