Okra and Tomatoes

Most people say they don't like okra, but it's probably because they haven't had it fixed properly.  This year I am growing it in my garden, and I have been experimenting with different ways to cook okra.  This is by far the best way that we like it, and you might also like this side dish, and just a hand full will serve 4 people easy.

 First you want to make sure that the okra is about 2 to 3 inches long, (any longer and they tend to be very tough).  You also want the okra to be a very bright green color.

A little fact:  okra was brought to the United States by Ethiopian slaves in the 1700's and is a staple in most southern dishes.  It is especially delicious in gumbo and dipped in a batter and deep fried.

For this recipe you will need:
2 Tab. olive oil
1/2 of a medium onion
2 cloves garlic
8 ounces, (a large handful), okra
1/2 teas salt
1/4 teas ground black pepper
4 or 5 small tomatoes
1 lemon
1 handful of fresh basil leaves

Give the okra a rinse, then trim the tip off.

 Trim off the stem end.

Cut the okra into 1/2 inch pieces.  You should have about 2 cups of cut okra.

 Mince the 2 cloves of garlic.

Slice 1/2 of a medium onion into thin slices.

Cut the tomatoes into thin wedges.

Put 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into a saucepan, over medium heat.

Add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onion is softened, not browned.

Turn the heat to low, and add the okra, salt and pepper.  Stir everything well.

Cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes, until the okra is almost tender.

 While the okra is cooking, chop the basil leaves, (you should have about 2 Tablespoons).

 After 15 minutes, test the okra to see if it is almost tender.

 If the okra is almost tender, add the tomatoes.  Stir and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the basil and squeeze 1/2 of the lemon over the okra and tomatoes.  Give everything a good stir and you are ready to serve.

This is an excellent side dish with any meat dish.  And the tomatoes and basil give it an Italian flavor, rather than the usual southern flavor one expects from an okra dish.

Give this a try and you might find that you do like okra after all!

Enjoy !