UCAN Vegetable Spotlight | Presenting: Okra
October 15th, 2020
by Stephanie Forbes
Presenting: Fried Okra & Preserved Pickled Okra
Okra is an essential vegetable in every Southern kitchen. Okra can grow up to five feet tall with beautiful hibiscus like flowers.Planting okra seeds are a gardeners favorite as it is easier to harvest and it produces abundantly. Many of the plot owners at The Catawba Trail Farm planted okra this year and what a harvest.
Below is a Southern Fried Okra recipe from Southern Kitchen.
Southern Fried Okra Recipe from Southern Kitchen
Ingredients:
Oil for frying
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 pound okra, cut into 1/2 inch rings
Kosher salt
Instructions
In a large pot or cast iron Dutch oven heat oil until a fryer or candy thermometer reads 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and Old Bay. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce.
Soak the okra in the buttermilk mixture for 5 minutes. Remove and drain off any excess liquid, then transfer to the flour-cornmeal mixture. Thoroughly coat the okra on all sides and tap off the excess flour.
Fry the battered okra until crispy, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels, and season with kosher salt.
Serve immediately.
https://www.southernkitchen.com/recipes/side-dish/southern-fried-okra
We have learned that there are several things you can do with okra. Have you ever considered canning? Well, you are in luck…The Catawba Trail Farm frequently uses canning recipes from Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.. Check out the Okra Pickles canning recipe. This recipe makes 4 pints.
YOU WILL NEED:
3 ½ pounds okra
2 small hot red peppers, cut in half
4 garlic cloves
3 cups vinegar
⅓ cup canning salt
2 tablespoon dill seed
3 cups water
DIRECTIONS:
Trim stems of okra, being careful not to cut pods; set aside.
Combine salt, dill seed, water and vinegar in a large saucepan/pot. Bring to a boil.
Pack okra into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
Put 1 clove garlic and one-half pepper in each jar.
Ladle hot liquid over okra, leaving ¼-inch head space. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust two-piece caps.
Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when the center is pressed.
https://www.sbcanning.com/2013/09/canning-pickled-okra-ball-blue-book-has.html