okra

[Ja. Jewel]

Help ,,,got okra coming out of my ears....garden has been very plentiful! If anyone has some good recipes for okra dishes (other than just throwing it in soup), I would love to hear them. I'm freezing one batch to fry later, but would really like to do some other things with it, since we have so much. I'm really not a fan but think I could manage it in a gumbo soup or fried. Thanks!,,,,wish the tomatoes would be as plentiful & have no insects bothering them like the okra!

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: okra

Anybody ever try anything like this?...sounds kinda good, except I have no gumbo file & no chance of getting any....don't know how important it is since I've never cooked gumbo before....Seveen, do you know anything about this?....or anybody that knows about southern cooking?

[R00TS]

Re: okra

I seen this segment on Okraphobia

Alton makes cooking interesting

http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats/okraphobia/index.html

[Tulip]

Re: okra

I cook gumbo but it will take me a minute to type of the recipe or look for a comparable one online to edit.

For the record though, no matter what you read anywhere, never use file powder and okra in the same pot. They are both used to thicken the gumbo and really if you going to use file, you should add it in the bowl.

[Tulip]

Re: okra

Here is a simple dish I cooked tonight just to hurry up and try to finish using the fresh okra I bought almost a week ago.

Put lil olive oil in the pan.
Grated a garlic clove into it and heated it on about medium.
Put some Goya Seasoning and cayenne pepper in there.
Got a good heat going and added my okra (chopped it diagonally because I like the way it looks)
Moved it around a bit and added a little more olive oil.
Added fresh spinach and squeezed out some juice from a lemon over it.
Added a chopped tomato and kind of mashed it in.
Tasted it. Nice and tangy but did need some seasoning salt.
Stirred it around for a few more minutes and it was good something awesome. Smooth spinach, crunch okra, tangy tomatoes.
That turned out pretty good.

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: okra

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ja. Jewel</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anybody ever try anything like this?...sounds kinda good, except I have no gumbo file &amp; no chance of getting any....don't know how important it is since I've never cooked gumbo before....Seveen, do you know anything about this?....or anybody that knows about southern cooking? </div></div>

Can't believe that I didn't paste the recipe I was looking at...duh!??...let me try again: A chicken gumbo recipe from DocDonald.
Ingredients:

* 2 tbsp Vegetable shortening
* 2 tbsp Flour,all-purpose
* 2 Onions,finely chopped
* 1 Green bell pepper,fine chop
* 5 cups Warm chicken broth
* 8 Tomatoes,peeled/chopped
* 1/2 lb Okra,cut into 1/4&quot; pieces
* 1 1/2 tbsp File' Gumbo
* 1/2 cup Uncooked rice
* 2 Ribs celery,chopped
* 1 tsp Salt
* 1/2 tsp Pepper
* 1/4 tsp Thyme
* 1 Bay leaf
* 1 Broiler-fryer chicken,cooked

Preparation:
In large Dutch oven, melt shortening over low heat; add flour and cook, stirring, until brown, about 10 minutes (do not hurry; if flour burns, roux is ruined).

Add onions and bell pepper; cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Slowly add warm broth; stir until broth reaches a boil.

Add tomatoes, okra, rice, celery, salt, file' gumbo, pepper, thyme and bay leaf; bring to a boil.

Add chicken; when mixture boils again, reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 20 minutes.

Stir and cook, covered, 20 minutes longer.
Serves 6.

What do you think about that recipe?....I'm totally clueless when it comes to okra, but would like to make some nice dishes since we have so much!

[Tulip]

Re: okra

We ate a lot of okra where I am from so I do love it. You can add it to peas, greens, or beans too. I'll come back and post the gumbo and succotash recipes and see what else I can come up with for you.

You say you don't want soup but gumbo is a soup. Gumbo actually means okra soup.

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: okra

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R00TS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I seen this segment on Okraphobia

Alton makes cooking interesting
http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats...bia/index.html </div></div>

Checked out the link &amp; know I can't get &quot;grains of paradise&quot; here, so guess I'll have to settle for black pepper....but it does sound interesting, nah tru?....hopefully, the slime will cook out!

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: okra

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tulip</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is a simple dish I cooked tonight just to hurry up and try to finish using the fresh okra I bought almost a week ago.

Put lil olive oil in the pan.
Grated a garlic clove into it and heated it on about medium.
Put some Goya Seasoning and cayenne pepper in there.
Got a good heat going and added my okra (chopped it diagonally because I like the way it looks)
Moved it around a bit and added a little more olive oil.
Added fresh spinach and squeezed out some juice from a lemon over it.
Added a chopped tomato and kind of mashed it in.
Tasted it. Nice and tangy but did need some seasoning salt.
Stirred it around for a few more minutes and it was good something awesome. Smooth spinach, crunch okra, tangy tomatoes.
That turned out pretty good.

</div></div>

Since I don't have spinach available, maybe I could use calalloo....what do you think?...also have not seen lemons around for awhile, nor limes either, for that matter....think it's essential?....wnat kind of goya seasoning?, don't have that either. Can I substitute some sort of Jamaican seasoning?

[Ja. Jewel]

Re: okra

Tulip, look at the recipe I posted &amp; tell me what you think of it...

[R00TS]

Re: okra

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ja. Jewel</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

What do you think about that recipe?....I'm totally clueless when it comes to okra, but would like to make some nice dishes since we have so much! </div></div>

Sound delish!
I think using your substitutions can make any recipe a Jamaican Speciality
Maybe Sprat has some good ideas

[Sprat]

Re: okra

I was out in Cyberspace...relaxing on my couch...
and I heard the call out about okra...

In all honesty...I only used it for the Jamaican dishes that called for it...probably the pepper pot soup.

Funny you should post this...because a couple of days ago, I went and got some to add to my soup. I realize that I am not a big fan.

It is slimmy...in soups...and has no taste whatsoever....lol

So...I will not be using it again.., anytime soon Live and learn.

[Sprat]

Re: okra

After I replied...

I think that if you saute the okra..and get rid of the slimmy texture...kind of sealing of sorts, it actually isn't that bad. You can add to soups...as I have done in the past, but there really is no distinct taste that you would ever remember.

Enjoy...

[Seveen]

Re: okra

i love okra - especially pickled - you can put in a jar with some seasoning just like those peppers that sit on the tables in jamaica

what i have found so the okra isn't slimy is don't cut it - i may just cut off the ends a tiny bit - but i leave them whole

yep i have put okra in soup or gumbo - usually the last ingredient and i blanche them in hot water or just let them steam on top - i don't try to stir them in - then the slimy comes out

my mom used to make a dish with corn, tomato sauce, okra but again the okra goes in last - kinda like brunswick stew made here in the south

of course they can be fried with a little breading then they are usually sliced into circles

did you ask your neighbors what they do with okra? i have never had any in jamaica i don't believe

will think on this some more!

[Seveen]

Re: okra

i googled okra jamaica - and saw some recipes

actually one similiar to the one above that my mom used to make - but served over rice

also saltfish and okra

and i remember eating conch stuffed with okra cooked on the grill - from one of the barrels in negril - also steamed fish with okra and onions stuffed inside

and like i mentioned - it should be almost the last ingredient

now i want some