Love the Okra!

With subtle yellow flowers at their crown, Okra plants tower over leeks and celeriac. Okra has enjoyed this late summer heat and has upped its production 50-75%.

Okra!

If you haven't tried it yet (it has been a choice for the past several weeks and I for one have taken it most weeks), please do so. It is a versatile veggie - I have prepared it stewed and in a light shrimp gumbo, but our favorite, and possibly the easiest is roasted or grilled.

Grilled okra, simply heat the grill and place the pods on the grates for 2-4 minutes, turning midway through. If the pods are small, a grill pan keeps the pods from falling between the grates. When nicely charred, remove from grill and add a little salt and pepper and if desired, a squeeze of lemon. Websites often talk about a dipping sauce, but I don't really think they need it.

Charred Okra and Tomatoes (or Tomatillos)

Thank you fellow member Carol Barry Marini for sending me the following on okra:

"As a displaced southerner, I've been thrilled to find okra in the pick-up room the past few weeks. I grew up eating it, but it's not as readily available up here...so, the past few weeks have conjured up many happy food memories for me!

I thought I'd send along a few of my favorite ways to cook it, in case you think other members might enjoy. Recipes/methods are below.

Roasted okra - As simple as it sounds. Trim the stem end off the pod, and split large pods lengthwise (if they're smaller than, say, your pinky you can leave them whole). Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425-450 for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan at least once, until golden brown.

Fried okra - A little messy to make, but a special treat. Slice pods into small rounds (1/2 inch or so). Heat 1/4 to 1/2 inch of neutral flavored oil in a large skillet to ~375. Working in batches, dip okra into buttermilk, then into a mix of flour and cornmeal (I don't usually measure, but I think about 2 parts flour to 1 part cornmeal is about right). Fry until golden brown, remove from the oil and drain on paper towels, seasoning with salt when they come out of the oil.

Stewed with tomatoes - I loved this as a kid. We'd have it as a side, or with chicken added as a main, served over rice in both cases. The recipe for okra and corn with tomatoes on the Anchor Run website is basically the method, but I think what we used to have was simpler...onion, maybe some garlic, sauteed in oil or bacon drippings, okra and tomatoes added and simmered for 15-20 minutes (longer if you find okra too slimy), and then seasoned with salt & pepper.