roasted okra. WOW!

[Blackdog Lin]

We always grow and enjoy eating okra, but the only ways I've ever cooked it is floured and fried, or mixed up in garden gumbo or a jambalaya thing or such. (whoops, forgot about the 6-10 jars of pickled okra we always put up.)

The stuff did way well this year, to the point that I've been selling it to the local grocery store, 'cause I ran out of "victims" to give it away to. This morning I picked and it just wasn't enough to take and sell to the store, and so we'll have to have fried okra tonight while it's still fresh and it's such a mess and a chore, and why don't I get online to see if there's some other tasty way to prepare okra.....

And I came upon "Roasted Okra". And decided to try it (in spite of having to turn on the oven in this heat). And all DH and I both have to say is WOW. We just finished devouring about 2 lbs. of the roasted stuff (it shrinks up, and the finished amount is not near what one starts with), and have decided that this will be our preferred okra-cooking method from now on. This stuff was GOOD.

For those of you that know about roasting okra, my apologies for my stupidity (and my anger at you for NOT TELLING ME about it before now). :) For those of you that haven't tried it, OMG, it's easier, and lighter, and healthier, and we can't decide but what it's tastier than the fried version.

Anyone else with okra stories?

[Float On]

this was my 2nd year to grow okra and I at least got enough this year to batter/fry twice. I'd love to try the roasted. What recipe did you use?

[Alan]

I'm curious as well. How did you prepare it?

[Blackdog Lin]

Wash then cut heads off okra and slice however you want - I sliced them lengthwise in half 'cause I was trying for an "okra fries" kind of thing, but we decided that slicing into the normal rounds would work equally well - I'll probably try that this week and see if there's any difference.

Place in mixing bowl and toss w/olive oil - maybe 1 tbs. per pound of okra? - anyway till they're lightly coated. And sprinkle w/salt and pepper or seasoning of choice - I just used seasoned salt, maybe 1 tbs. Spread out on (I lightly sprayed it) cookie sheet and roast at 425 degrees till they are at your desired degree of doneness. The original recipe said 15 minutes, but many reviews said that the okra got better as it "browned", so I did 20 minutes, then removed and tossed it all around, then another 15 minutes in the oven. We thought they were perfect, just needed another sprinkling of salt before we devoured the entire mess.

(1) we don't think this would be good with frozen okra, only fresh; and (2) it was so delicious that I seriously can't see myself ever going to the hassle and mess and unhealthiness of flouring and frying the stuff again.

If you like okra anyway, I can almost guarantee you'll love it roasted.

(ETA) these directions are my riff on the original recipe I found on AllRecipes: Roasted Okra.

[Blackdog Lin]

We had this again last night - only difference was I did slice the okra into fat rounds (twice as thick as I usually cut them for frying), instead of lengthwise into "fries".

No difference. Still unbelievably delicious. Mucho healthier cooking. We are both now hardcore roasted okra believers. You must try this. :)

[Tussiemussies]

Would love to try this, have to see if our store sells Okra. Wonder if I could grow this in NW NJ? Don't usually see Okra around here much. Did buy it once pickled to see what it was like, it was a new adventure for us...LOL. I really liked it!