When you say "comfort food," this is what comes to my mind. I believe that comfort foods make you feel safe and secure, and are usually connected to your childhood. Okra was something that could frequently be found simmering on my grandmother's stovetop when we dropped in for a visit. I was a very picky eater as a child, but I always loved okra. I remember my grandmother had a large garden and grew her own, so it was always fresh. My way of keeping those memories alive is to grow four or five okra plants in my garden each summer. It's got to be a matter of nostalgia because growing okra is not for the faint at heart. Here in central Texas, where the summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees, okra grows like crazy! It must be picked daily or the pods will grow to the size of a carrot and will be too tough to eat. Besides, okra plants are prickly--even the so-called "spineless" variety will give you the itchies if you don't wear gloves and long sleeves. I was able, however, to pick enough to freeze a couple of bags of okra for the winter.
A common complaint I hear about okra is that it's slimy. Not if you know how to cook it properly. You must cook the okra in a little bit of oil over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until all of the slime disappears. Some people add a dash of vinegar to help the process along, but I've never found this necessary. This is one of my favorite recipes for okra.
Okra with Shrimp and Tomatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound of okra, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a 10 or 12 inch skillet. Add the okra and cook, stirring constantly, until it is nearly browned, about 10-15 minutes. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, taking care not to brown the garlic. Add diced tomatoes in their juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer for at least 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook just until the shrimp are pink and curled. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve over a bed of fluffy white rice.
Serves 4 as a main dish.
3 comments:
I love okra. I did not grow up with it, just knew it as an ingredient in canned gumbo. But when we moved here to S.C. in 2002 I started paying more attention to it, and I regularly receive a few pounds of it from my farmer.
My favorite way is to roast it. I just wash it in a colander, toss it with olive oil, and then lay it out on my cast iron grill pan. I put it on medium heat and just let it sit there and roast while I go about making my meal, turning occasionally. Or I might put it on a cookie sheet and throw it in the oven. When it's done, I just sprinkle it with kosher salt and eat it as an appetizer.
Karen, I roast all sorts of vegetables, but I have never heard of roasting okra. I can't wait to try it. I just bought a cast iron grill pan, too!
I love me some okra!!! My mother would have to fix it almost every week (day) for me! It is a staple in my house. I'm going to try this recipe soon. Almost every time I come to my sister's house we fix okra and tomatoes.
Post a Comment