Thoughts on approaching this week’s box from subscriber Conne Ward Cameron.
High summer = okra.
I’ve been wondering when our first okra would arrive and today was the day.
Which camp are you in? Love okra? Hate okra?
I know there are folks who just do not see the point of okra. My husband is one. But I love it.
At https://grassfedcow.com/
So use your okra right away. Yes, you can pickle it and we have several recipes that link from that page. You can roast it, you can fry it and you can eat it raw. Raw? Yes.
I thought I had posted this recipe before, but I’m not finding it, so here it is as it was printed in the AJC many years ago.
David Larkworthy demoed this recipe at the Morningside Farmers Market in 2010 and I still remember it every year when okra arrives in season. It looks a little complicated because it’s a riff on Brunswick stew, a mixture of lots of flavors, but it really goes together pretty quickly and will surprise anyone who thinks okra can only be served cooked.
Brunswick Salad
Recipes for Brunswick Stew are some of the most frequent requests we get at the AJC. Here’s a delicious summer variation, adapted from a recipe Chef David Larkworthy of Five Seasons Brewery as demonstrated at the Morningside Farmers Market this July. The okra in this recipe is raw, and it’s delicious. But here’s a tip: don’t expect this salad to keep. The okra is fresh and crisp when first cut, but after a day in the refrigerator, it starts to exude that sap that makes it such a great thickener, and that’s not a texture you want in your Brunswick Salad.
3/4 cup diced potatoes
2 ears corn, broken in half
1/2 cup field peas
1/2 pound okra, thinly sliced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups 1/2-inch (half) diced tomatoes
1/2 (one half) sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced
1 pound slow-cooked or barbecued pork
In a small saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook potatoes until done, about 15 minutes. Strain out potatoes and set aside. Cook corn in the same water for 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool, then cut kernels off the cob.
While potatoes are cooking, in another small saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook field peas until done, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. While peas are cooking, slice okra.
In a 1-pint screw-top jar, make vinaigrette by combining olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, barbecue sauce, honey, vinegar, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Shake well to combine; taste for seasoning. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, corn, peas, okra, tomatoes, onion and pepper. Shake vinaigrette again and pour over ingredients; toss to coat. Let marinate for 20 minutes. If holding longer, refrigerate.
When ready to serve, warm pork and place on top of salad. Serve immediately..
Per serving: 588 calories (percent of calories from fat, 56), 29 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 37 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 77 milligrams cholesterol, 374 milligrams sodium.