Lisa’s Okra and Tomatoes Recipe
There seems to be no middle ground when it comes to okra. People either love it or hate it.
Our family loves it.
We planted 10 okra plants this year at Alexander Farm & Garden and I’m so excited!
We plan to eat, freeze, give some away to our local food pantry and we’ll sell some to neighbors and a local farmers market. We just gave away pounds of collard greens to the pantry and they were happy to get the fresh produce!
So, the truth about okra. Yes, it’s good for you. It’s a great source of Vitamin C, it’s low in carbs and sugar, and has a nice amount of fiber. It’s also got a fair amount of Vitamins A, K, B-6, Folate, and Magnesium. Good stuff.
But, okra is slimy. And that’s what keeps many from enjoying it. I get it. I’ve had my share of okra gone horribly wrong too. And there are still some who swear it should never go in gumbo but that’s an email for another day.
Thankfully, I learned a hack that has made it a family favorite for decades now — RED WINE! You can also use red wine vinegar too. It gets rid of okra’s sliminess.
My personal recipe is below! Bon appetite!
Lisa’s Okra and Tomatoes (Succotash)
1 pound of okra (we use fresh of course, frozen works fine too)
2 cups of tomatoes (you can use fresh or can)
1 1/2 cup of corn
1 small white onion
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound of shrimp (optional)
1 pound of smoked jalapeno sausage (optional)
1 cup of Apothic Inferno Whiskey Barrel Red (this is my favorite red wine, of course you can use whatever you have on hand or use red wine vinegar)
1 teaspoon of Cajun season (optional, you can use salt and pepper to taste)
Directions:
Pre-cut your tomatoes (if using fresh), sausage, and onion. Clean your shrimp if not using pre-split and deveined shrimp.
Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet on high heat and saute onion till translucent. Add sausage and saute till cooked evenly.
Add okra, tomatoes, and corn to skillet.
Add red wine and let the dish come to a simmer.
Cover tightly and let cook for 25 minutes.
Add shrimp and Cajun seasoning and cover and allow shrimp to cook for 10-12 minutes.
And voila, your slime-less okra dish is complete!
Add some cornbread and you’re in for a great meal!
If you try the recipe, let me know if you enjoyed it!
