Braised Baby Okra Food

WHOLE BABY OKRA IN OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Wash the okra and gently rub to remove the outer fuzz. Trim off the stem, leaving the cap intact.
• Sprinkle the garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt and crush with the back of a knife until smooth. Place in a large skillet and add 1 1/84 cup water, 1 tablespoon of the oil and a generous grinding of pepper. Mix well, add the okra and mix again.
• Place the skillet over medium-high heat, cover tightly and cook for 4 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan. Remove the okra to a serving platter and drizzle with pan juices and the remaining olive oil. Adjust the seasoning and serve at once with lemon wedges.

OKRA WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Saute 4 smashed garlic cloves in 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until golden. Add 4 cups okra (halved lengthwise) and 1 small onion (cut into wedges); season with salt and pepper and cook until the okra is tender and bright, 10 to 12 minutes. Add 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes; cook until just bursting, 3 minutes. Finish with a splash of cider vinegar.

GARLIC SAUTéED OKRA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Trim off and discard the stem ends of the okra pods. Rinse the trimmed pods, carefully pat them dry, and set them aside. Extra water in the cooking process can lead to the slick factor this okra recipe is designed to avoid, so the dryer the better.
• Peel the garlic clove, cut it in half lengthwise, and slice it crosswise as thinly as possible.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil, swirl the pan to coat the bottom with the oil, and heat until the oil shimmers, about 30 seconds. Add the garlic and let it sizzle until it just starts to turn golden, about 1 minute.
• Add the okra, stir to coat it with oil, and combine it with the garlic. Cover and cook, shaking the pan frequently to move the okra pods around inside until the okra is starting to brown on the edges and is tender to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer the okra to a serving platter or individual plates. Add the optional tomatoes if using and sprinkle with salt. Serve and enjoy.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH OKRA AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large wide pot or Dutch oven over high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain; leave the drippings in the pot.
• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and dust with the flour. Add skin-side down to the pot with the bacon drippings; cook until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim the okra and thinly slice the onion. Remove the chicken to a plate; add the okra, onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until the onion starts softening, about 4 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pot with your hands and stir well; bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken skin-side up in the sauce. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the okra is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir the reserved bacon into the okra mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken and okra mixture with cornbread.

BRAISED OKRA WITH ROASTED GARLIC AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut top third off of garlic head and place on a piece of parchment-lined foil. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and wrap in foil.
• Roast until soft, about 1 hour. Let cool, then squeeze out cloves; mash with a fork into a paste. (You should have 1 tablespoon; if more, reserve extra for another use.)
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; swirl in oil. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic paste and tomatoes; reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to release some of their juices, about 8 minutes.
• Uncover and simmer 2 minutes more. Add okra; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve over soft polenta with cheese, more oil, and pepper.

BARBECUED OKRA

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high.
• Place the salt, paprika, sugar, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, and celery seed in a small bowl and stir to mix.
• Rinse the okra under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Trim the tips off the stem ends of the okra but do not cut into the pods. Place the okra in a large mixing bowl, add the butter and toss to coat. Add the rub mixture and toss to coat.
• When ready to cook, arrange the okra on the hot grate so that they are perpendicular to the bars or you may wish to skewer 4 or 5 pods side by side with bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water to keep any stray okra from falling through the grates and into the fire. Grill the okra until nicely browned, about 2 to 4 minutes per side, turning with tongs as needed. Transfer the grilled okra to a platter or plates and serve immediately.