ROUSES.COM
25
Ode to Okra
by
Virginia Willis
Ok, I know, I know. Stop. You either love okra or you absolutely hate it, and you’ve already
decided to turn the page. Stay. Please, please stay. I’ve got this, really, I do. Okra is the new
asparagus. Seriously. I’m certain of it.
This is what I know: Okra is a controversial vegetable. Folks love okra or they hate it. No
one — veritably no one — is in the middle.
I also know this: Okra lovers passionately love okra in all manners of all shapes and forms.
Boiled, fried, steamed, grilled, broiled, pickled, whole, sliced, and julienned. And especially
in gumbo.
According to The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, African slaves brought okra
across the Atlantic Ocean during the slave-trading era. Little is known about the early
history and distribution of okra, but it is thought to have originated in equatorial Africa.
It eventually made its way into Northern Africa, the Mediterranean, and India before its
journey across the Atlantic to the New World.
Okra is not, however, solely found in the American South or in Africa. The ancient routes
by which okra was taken from central Africa to Egypt to the eastern Mediterranean and
to India is not certain, but we do know that okra is found in abundance in three major
areas today — East Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. It is also found in pockets in the
Caribbean, as well as in South America.
One thing is for certain:
If the weather is hot, okra will grow.
In general, when you are shopping at Rouses, look for young, small pods no longer than
4-inches in length, depending on the variety. There is a reason okra is called ladyfingers in
some countries. Seek out pods smaller than a lady’s finger! Green is the most common color
available, but you may also find red or deep burgundy varieties, even pale green, almost white.
Top Five Slime Busting Tips:
1. Choose small pods.
2. Wash and dry okra very, very thoroughly.
3. Don’t cut okra into pieces; cook whole pods.
4. Add an acid like tomato, lemon juice,
vinegar, or wine when cooking.
5. Overcooking produces more slime!
Don’t overcook okra.
Virginia Willis is the author of the acclaimed
cookbooks Bon Appétit, Y’all! Recipes and Stories
from Three Generations of Southern Cooking and
Basic to Brilliant, Y’all: 150 Refined Southern
Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company.
Virginia has a popular food blog and website:
About the Writer
“
I got okra.
I got oranges.
I got bananas,
can-ta-loupe!
”
—Arthur "Mr. Okra" Robinson,
New Orleans' roving produce vendor
photo by
Cheryl Gerber
Poppy Tooker's—
Throwdown
Seafood
Gumbo
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
½ cup oil
1 cup flour
1 pound gumbo crabs
2 pounds shrimp
1 pint oysters
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 pounds okra, sliced ¼"
Oil for frying okra
1 one pound can crushed tomatoes
1 gallon shrimp stock
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 bunch green onions
Crystal hot sauce to taste
RECIPE,
try me!
HOW TO PREP
Peel shrimp, and make a stock by
combining heads, peels, onion skins,
celery bottoms and tops with green
onion parings in a stock pot. Cover
with water in excess of 2 inches over
discards and boil for 15 minutes or
less. Strain and reserve shrimp stock.
Drain oysters and reserve oyster liquor.
Fry okra in very hot oil until lightly
browned (or roast).
Make a dark roux with the flour and oil,
cooking to the color of milk chocolate
brown. Add onions, stirring together
until the roux darkens to a bittersweet
chocolate brown. Add celery and bell
pepper. Sauté for five minutes, then
add the gumbo crabs, tomatoes, okra,
herbs and the shrimp stock and oyster
liquor. Add garlic and salt and pepper
to taste. Simmer 45 minutes or longer.
Ten minutes before serving add shrimp
and green onions. Add hot sauce and
salt as needed. Serve on top of cooked
rice.
(Serves 10-12)
