Okra & Tomatoes
In deep Southeast Texas, family okra and tomato recipes are highly subjective and personal—a lot like makin Gumbo. But, keep an open mind, ya’ll—there’s more than one way to skin a cat. This is my summer recipe. Tomatoes, okra, and peppers straight from the garden (or from our favorite farmers at the BFM). No canned diced tomatoes or frozen okra. That’s for winter when we’re desperate.
But first, some okra pro tips:
Some of the best Texas varieties have cool names like Cajun Delight, Annie Oakley, and Blondy.
Try and select the smaller pods. They’ll be tenderer and have less mucilage.
A lot of folks like fried okra, but they find the texture of boiled or stewed okra a little too "slimy," so use a super sharp knife, and first cook with high heat (then low and slow), and add a little acid. In this recipe, the acid is in the fresh tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon. That’ll do the trick.
Try salting the pods liberally in a colander and let them rest for a half hour or so. Then rinse them well and rub the pods dry with a paper towel. This will remove the fuzz and tenderize the pods.
Cut off the stems and tips and discard, then slice in uniform ½" chunks, and you’re ready to roll.
Serves 4
2 lbs. fresh tender okra
4 large ripe tomatoes, cored
1 cup chopped yellow or 1015 onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup diced celery
2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
1 8 oz. can of unsalted tomato sauce
Method
First, prep the okra per the tips above. While the okra is resting, chop the onions and bell peppers. Warm the oil in a covered heavy-bottomed 4 qt. pot or enameled cast iron Dutch oven and sauté the onions on medium-high, stirring, until they begin to wilt and become transparent. Add the celery and bell peppers and continue cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes, then turn the burner to low, cover the pot, and cook for a half hour—stirring every 10 minutes or so. This will tenderize the peppers and sweeten and caramelize the onions. Core and coarsely chop the tomatoes and reserve any juice. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the okra, and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes and juice*, bay leaves, garlic Worcestershire, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir continuously until the tomatoes begin to soften and give up their liquid. Turn the burner back to low, cover the pot, and stew another half hour or until tender. Keep a close eye to ensure the okra/tomato mixture doesn't dry out and burn. Add a little water, chicken stock, or canned tomato sauce to maintain consistency.
*This recipe yields a tight serving that will stand alone on your plate without being too runny. You may prefer a little more juice if you serve it with white rice. If that's the case, try adding the juice from a can of SMT brand San Merican diced tomatoes or unsalted tomato sauce and tweak your spices accordingly.