Okra Creole

Recipe Author: Conne Ward Cameron

Unlike melons, okra is one tough vegetable. This old-time recipe is a great way to enjoy and truly, cooking the okra in tomatoes seems to cut down on the “slime” factor. But full disclosure – I love okra in any form, I never get the “it’s slimy” contingent, so can’t promise this still won’t seem “slimy” to the okraphobe.

By the way, perfectly fine to eat the little okra caps, as long as the okra is small and tender, like the ones we’ve been getting.

If you cooked and froze some of the corn bounty from earlier this year, then you’ve got a cup of frozen kernels perfect for this dish. If there’s no fresh, or your own fresh-frozen, corn available, it’s ok to use commercial frozen corn (the only frozen vegetable you’ll ever find at my house), or just skip it. Try adding a cup of diced squash instead. Or in addition to the other vegetables. It’s up to you.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound okra, sliced 1 pound chopped tomatoes 1 cup chopped onions 1 cup corn kernels 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning 1/4 teaspoon pepper Hot cooked rice

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add okra and sauté about 5 minutes or until okra turns bright green and develops just a little sear. Add tomatoes, onions, corn, water, Creole seasoning and pepper, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes or until everything is tender. Serve over rice.