Okra, a traditional side dish in the summertime, grows only in the South and has to be shipped north. Buy tender pods no more than four inches long. (The larger pods may be slightly wooden in texture.) Okra contains a thick liquid characteristically used to thicken Creole gumbos and stews. To keep it in the pod, where it belongs, avoid cutting off its top (the top is the end that is not pointed). If okra is not in season, buy fresh green beans and stir fry them in the same way.
Assemble these supplies:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 pound small pods fresh okra, rinsed and dried, with stems, but not end of pod, cut off
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Steps in preparation:
- Melt butter in skillet over high heat.
- Sauté okra 3 to 5 minutes, depending on size of pods.
- Stir okra frequently so that pods do not brown.
- They should be just tender and bright green.
- Remove okra to warm serving platter and sprinkle with salt.
- Top with chopped tomato and herbs.
ADDED TOUCH
If you serve the meal in the backyard or on the patio, watermelon slices or assorted flavors of ice cream make the easiest and most appropriate desserts. The blueberry cobbler on page 125 is another possibility. Serve it warm and top each portion off with vanilla ice cream.
LEFTOVER SUGGESTIONS
Fried chicken is especially good the second day, when allowed to warm-ta.room temperature. If any okra and tomato sauté is left over, it will make a nice addition in tomorrow morning's omelet.
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