Okra

Season: Summer

Storage: Store raw okra in an airtight container lined with a paper towel or tea towel. Okra doesn’t stay fresh for long, so plan on using within a couple days of purchase.

Other Names: Lady Finger

Fun Facts: The entire okra plant is edible – from the leaves, to the flowers, to the pods.  It has been cultivated for centuries.   A popular ingredient in gumbo, the sticky juice from the sliced pods thicken the sauce in place of a roux. It can also be pickled, and would make a fine addition to a Bloody Mary garnish. The okra plant can reach up to 7 feet tall and each individual okra can reach up to a foot in length. You can bring down the unpopular slimey-ness by cooking the okra along with acidic foods such as tomatoes, lemons, and vinegar OR you can cook the okra quickly by grilling or frying!

Get your local okra by joining our Farm Share or shopping at farmers markets, then share your favorite preparations through our Facebook page.

Okra Stew Recipe

Recipe from Freetown Foodie

Ingredients

  • 3lbs fresh okra

  • 1cut of smoked fish (kuta)

  • 1/2lb beef

  • Quarter chicken leg (optional)

  • 2 cups palm oil (or vegetable oil)

  • One medium, one small onion

  • Hot pepper

  • 2tbs dried fish powder (bonga or crayfish)

  • 2 large maggi (buiollon cubes)

  • Salt

  • 1-2 cups water

Instructions

  • Wash okra and slice and chop into small pieces and set aside

  • Steam beef and chicken and shred chicken

  • Divide small onion into 2 (slice the half and set aside)

  • Blend the medium onion and other half with pepper

  • Wash smoked fish and remove the bones

  • In a clean dry pot add 2 cups palm oil

  • Heat oil and add sliced onions

  • Then add okra, stir and cover pot to steam 2-3 mins

  • Steam another 3-5 mins and add, blended onions, beef, chicken, smoked fish, Maggi, powdered fish, salt and (extra pepper if you like)

  • Stir, cover and reduce the heat

  • Cook until oil separates

  • Serve with rice

Grilled Okra with Spicy Chipotle Dipping Sauce

Recipe from thekitchn

Ingredients

  • 1 pound finger-sized okra

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • Kosher salt and pepper

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 chipotle in adobo, roughly chopped (seeds removed, if desired)

  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotles

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Heat a grill to high heat. If your grill grates are so wide that the okra might fall through, use a vegetable grilling pan or spear the prepared okra on skewers.

  • Prepare the okra by slicing each one down its length, stopping just short of the top. This helps the okra cook more evenly and creates more crispy bits. Toss the okra in a mixing bowl with the olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. (If needed for grilling, spear the okra on skewers, like kebabs.)

  • Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotle, adobo sauce, lime juice, and the salt in a blender or in the measuring cup of an immersion blender. Blend until thoroughly combined. Taste and add more adobo sauce, lime juice, or salt, to taste. Transfer the sauce to a small serving cup.

  • When the grill is ready, spread the okra out in a single layer over the grill (or in the grill pan). Cover and cook for about 2 minutes. Remove the cover and flip the okra to grill the other side. Continue grilling, flipping as needed, until the okra are evenly grilled on all sides, another 3 to 5 minutes (5 to 7 minutes total).

  • Transfer the grilled okra to a serving plate and serve with the chipotle sauce. Okra is best if eaten immediately, while still piping hot from the grill.

Note: Transfer leftover chiles and adobo sauce from their can to a clean jar or other sealable container. Store in the fridge for several more weeks or freeze in small portions for up to 3 months.

Ragout De Beouf Au Gumbo

Recipe by Chef Guy Mouelet

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of steak beef

  • 8 ounces of okra

  • 1 white onion

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 3 cloves

  • 1 tablespoon of curry powder

  • 2 large ripe tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons paprika

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

  • White pepper

  • 1 Liter of water

Instructions

  • Cut the meat into square inch cutlets. In a sauté pan, brown the meat in oil.

  • Once the meat is browned, add chunks of okra, minced garlic, tomato pureéd, parika, and half liter of water. Cook for 25 minutes.

  • Once done, add cornstarch to thicken the sauce, butter, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes then serve.

Note: Transfer leftover chiles and adobo sauce from their can to a clean jar or other sealable container. Store in the fridge for several more weeks or freeze in small portions for up to 3 months.

Fried Okra

Recipe from thekitchn

Ingredients

  • 1 pound okra, preferably small pods

  • Buttermilk, enough to cover okra

  • 3/4 cup flour

  • 3/4 cup cornstarch

  • Kosher salt and pepper

  • Cayenne pepper, to taste

  • Hot pepper vinegar or cider vinegar, to serve

Instructions

  • Pour a few inches of peanut oil into a heavy-bottomed pot, preferably cast iron. Heat oil to 350°, using a fry/candy thermometer to make sure the temperature stays consistent.

  • Meanwhile, soak the okra in enough buttermilk to completely cover. In another bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne. Dredge the okra in the dry mixture until well-coated.

  • Working in small batches, cook the okra in the hot oil until crispy and light golden brown, about 30 seconds to a minute. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the oil at 350°. Remove the fried okra from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and allow to drain on brown paper bags. While still hot, season the okra with additional

 

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