Smothered Okra Base For Okra Gumbo Or A Simple Side Dish Food

OKRA AND TOMATOES (A.K.A. OKRA GUMBO)

Steps:

• Fry bacon in a large skillet that can be covered, until crisp. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels. Saute onion in bacon drippings until tender. Add okra and tomatoes, stir to blend. Cover, reduce to low heat. Cook for about an hour, or until okra is tender, stirring occasionally. Do not stir too much or too briskly, because the okra will fall apart. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• **Note: Nanny diced the bacon and fried it and the onion together. My family doesn't like the bacon cooked into it because the bacon becomes soft. If you do it my way, you can sprinkle the bacon on right before serving.

SMOTHERED OKRA BASE FOR OKRA GUMBO OR A SIMPLE SIDE DISH

Steps:

• In a large roasting pot, layer alternately the okra, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes with juice, oil, garlic, celery, ham seasoning, water or broth, salt and pepper.
• Cover pot tightly and place in 425°F oven.
• Cook 30 minutes, stir and reduce heat to 350 degrees.
• Cover and cook 2 - 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
• When the stringing of the okra ceases, the okra is cooked.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• Chill COMPLETELY before packaging and freezing.

OKRA GUMBO

Steps:

• Saute' onion and peppers in margarine until tender.
• Add remaining ingredients including cooked chicken.
• Cook on low for about 2 hours to blend flavors.
• This can be served over steamed rice.

SMOTHERED OKRA WTH SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a 4-quart sauce pan, saute the okra with 1/2 of the oil until tender or slime is cooked out and set aside.
• In another sauce pan, heat remainder of oil, and saute smoke sausage, onion,.
• celery, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until tender, then add cayenne pepper,.
• thyme and tomato paste, and tomato puree, stirring constantly.
• Add shrimp stock and tomato puree. Bring to a low boil, then add okra and.
• cook for 1/2 hour. Add shrimp and cook until tender. Serve over hot rice.

SMOTHERED OKRA OR (OKRA GUMBO )

Steps:

• 1. heat 1 t. oil in a large skillet over med heat, stir in garlic, bell pepper ,and onion, saute until tender.stir in okra, mushrooms,diced tomatoes with juice,tomato paste, file,salt & pepper and bay leaf. cook ,stirring occasionally,for 45 min.
• 2. heat 2 T.oil in a med skillet over med. heat ,stirring constantly,add flour, and cook 2 to 5 min. until golden roux has formed.
• 3. spoon roux into the okra mixture, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 10 until thickened. serve with rice

OKRA GUMBO (FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE OKRA)

Steps:

• To shorten the cooking time of the okra, place it in a microwave safe bowl add two tbsp water, cover with plastic wrap, and cook 15 minutes. Stir, and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until the okra has changed color from bright green to a duller more olive color.
• Meanwhile, cook your chicken as desired, and chop into edible sized pieces. Dice the veggies. If you are using frozen veggies, microwave them a few minutes and drain off the excess liquid.
• Meanwhile, if time permits, slice the sausage and brown in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. (You can cook it in the pot you plan to make the gumbo in and set it aside if preferred.)
• In a large pot (preferably a cast iron dutch oven) brown the onions, bell peppers, and okra over medium high heat. The okra takes forever to cook, and requires constant stirring since it burns easily. It is done when the seeds begin to turn purple/brown - after about 25-30 minutes of cooking. If you didn't microwave it to begin with, you will need to cook it for about an hour. NOTE: I made this about 5 times before I realized that the okra must be cooked until the seeds are at least slightly brown. Otherwise, it will taste good but it won't get the right consistency.
• Add the chicken, sausage, tomatoes, broth/juice/bullion and water. I try to add about 1 1/2 times the amount of water as the amount of stuff already in the pot.
• Bring to a low simmer, simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed. Add salt, pepper, and Tony's at the end of cooking. Serve over warm rice.
• I don't care for it, but my husband's cajun family serve potato salad as a side dish with their gumbo.

SMOTHERED OKRA

Steps:

• Pour oil in bottom of pan.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Cover pot and simmer 1 1/2 hours on low, stirring often.
• Remove the cover the last 10 minutes.