Would you like to take a simple quiz?
Do you love or leave the world’s most polarizing food?
There are many candidates over that dubious distinction. So are mushrooms, and so are brussels sprouts.
But if you really want to find the world’s most remarkable middle-of-the-road vegetable, I would argue that okra tops the list.
People either love it or hate it, and there’s little anyone can do to change their minds once they’ve made up their minds.
On the one hand, it is unsightly and scratchy, and fresh pods are very scratchy and can be somewhat itchy. Okra, on the other hand, is a staple of many sideboards in a variety of delicious ways.
But on the other hand, if asked to come up with the most iconic, most “southern” vegetable, I would be hard-pressed to come up with anything other than okra.
First, it’s easy to grow, perfect for hot summers rather than scorching sun, and has incredible yields. Now that the rest of the summer garden is done, it wouldn’t hurt to start bearing fruit.
I don’t know if it will change my mind about okra. If you don’t like it, you can stop reading right away and it won’t hurt my feelings.
However, if you’re open to new ideas, I encourage you to keep reading. As you can imagine, I have a few thoughts on the subject.
What I didn’t mention about okra is that it’s the basis for gumbo, another Deep South favorite. The okra slices not only add depth of flavor to the gumbo, but the sticky pods also help thicken the mixture.
Here is a simple recipe for shrimp gumbo.
shrimp gumbo
material
- 2 pounds shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups fresh okra (sliced)
- 2 medium onions (chopped)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (with fruit juice)
- 1 bay leaf
- creole seasoning, to taste
- 3 pods of garlic (chopped)
- green onion, chopped (for garnish)
- steamed white rice
direction
- First make a rule. Mix 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and flour in a cast iron skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook roux, stirring constantly, until browned, about 25-30 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the roux or you’re out of luck.)
- Set it aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté the okra and onions. When the okra is cooked, add the canned tomatoes.
- Add 2 quarts water (or chicken stock), bay leaf, garlic, and seasoning. Add roux mixture and bring to a boil. Add shrimp, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Before serving, top with chopped green onions and serve over warm white rice.
Tasty Trend: Grilled Okra
Okra is an ancient vegetable with deep roots in the land, but that doesn’t mean its consumption is limited to traditional cooking methods. Okra is a versatile kitchen resource, and in the hands of creative cooks, it can become something new and different.
Take Louisiana chef John Besh, for example. His excellent cookbook, Besh Big Easy, presents recipes that will tickle even the most seasoned gourmet’s palate.
grilled okra
material
- 1 pound okra
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon peel
direction
Mix okra with oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high, or use a broiler in your oven. Grill the okra over high heat for 3-5 minutes, flipped on all sides.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with Parmesan cheese and lemon zest before serving.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy the fun of okra is to keep it out of cooking. I love eating these tender young pods as part of my holiday appetizer tray.
Old favorite: pickled okra
This is a recipe from one of my most treasured and most used cooking resources, “Recipe Jubilee!” It was produced by members of the Mobile Junior League in 1964.
Okra needs four months to prepare before it can be used, making it perfect for the Christmas party circuit this year.
pickled okra
material
- 4 large onions
- 2 bell peppers (seeds removed)
- 1/4 cup salt
- 3 1/2 cups vinegar
- 3 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon clove powder
- 3 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
- okra 4 1/2 pounds
direction
- Grind the onion and pepper together in a meat grinder using the coarsest blade. Mix the mashed vegetables and salt in a bowl, cover with a lid or a plate, and weigh it down.
- Leave for 3 hours and drain.
- Place vinegar, sugar, and spices in a large saucepan and stir until sugar dissolves. Cut off the okra stalk (cut off the top in a cone shape, not straight across) and add to the pot along with the drained vegetables.
- Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are very hot and the liquid is almost boiling. Do not bring to a boil.
- Place the ladle in a hot sterile jar and let it sit immediately. Store in refrigerator or cool place for 4 months before use.