I know okra gets a bad rap: too weird, too slimy. But I moved past all that last summer when I started making gumbo with fresh okra. And then last week, there was a recipe in the paper for a okra and corn casserole, proving yet again that cheese sauce and bread crumbs can turn any vegetable into a meal.
Growing okra is turning me into a bigger fan. These plants are the sentinels of the garden. Their leaves are sturdy and upright, a nice change from cucumber vines and leggy tomatoes. And the flowers that come before the okra pods are the most beautiful shade of yellow.
Plus the bumblebees love them.
This evening, I finally picked a few pods, along with another handful of beans, and two more cucumbers. Since I don't have enough pods to make gumbo, I'm going to try roasting them with a little olive oil and seasoning. A fellow at the farmer's market today said he throws the pods on a very hot grill with a hefty sprinkling of Cajun seasoning. He said they were delicious. I'm wondering if the high heat dissipates the slime. Anyway, if you have a favorite way to prepare okra, please let me know.
I love the slime! Of course, my favorite okra is fried okra. But my favorite everything is fried. I also love it in vegan gumbo and with stewed okra & tomatoes. I even like to eat it raw.
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