Okra has all sorts of trendy applications, but it’s best known as a key ingredient in gumbo and as the centerpiece of that homey staple, okra and tomatoes. This late summer vegetable is healthful, hardy and packed with flavor. Tough as nails and able to withstand withering heat, it’s one of the last crops you’ll see at the farmers market before the curtain closes on the summer season. Growers at the Red Stick Farmers Market have just recently begun to sell it, and they’ll continue for the next several weeks.
Okra and tomatoes is like gumbo, vegetable soup and other free-form dishes that are both forgiving and highly personal. Now is a great time to make a big batch because fresh summer tomatoes are also in good supply. In fact, because this freezes well and is really easy to make, it’s a good idea to make an extra batch for this fall when you find yourself pining for more local okra.
Here’s how:
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Okra and tomatoes
Serves 6
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¼ cup olive oil
4 cups okra, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups chopped tomato, preferably local and seasonal
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño pepper, diced (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
Several turns black pepper
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil to medium high and add the okra, onion and red bell pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, then add the tomato, garlic and, if using, the jalapeño. Sauté for 5 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and chicken stock, carefully incorporating until thoroughly blended. Add salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture gets dry, add more chicken stock.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.