Sunday, July 27, 2008

Okra time!

This week I found some okra at the farmers' market, and I decided to try out two recipes with okra from the ever wonderful "Real Food Daily Cookbook" :

This is the "Red Bean Chili with Okra and Butternut Squash." It was hearty and yummy and spicy hot. Probably not my favorite chili of all time, but definitely worth making and eating. It used up about half the okra I bought at the market. Full of colors and vitamins.

For dessert, an Apricot-Raspberry Tart. I was in our fancy neighborhood bakery that morning, and saw a lovely apricot-raspberry tart (not vegan, of course) for about $25. I thought to myself "I can do that!" So I whipped up this little baby, and it was truly delightful.

Okra Meal Number Two:
Then tonight I made the "Creole Tempeh Gumbo." Wow! I've never had gumbo before, so I have no idea how authentic the flavor is... but I really loved it. I served it over brown basmati rice. In a small victory for Amey-kind, I also did not burn the rice, which was both rare and exciting. This gumbo was full of delicious flavors... rich and hearty and smoky and deep. The sauce was thick and stewy. Yum.

To go along with the gumbo, garlicky kale (from my own veggie garden), delicious sweet corn, and Southern-Style Skillet Cornbread (also from the Real Food Daily cookbook). So yummy.

14 comments:

  1. MMMmm I love okra!!! They are SO good!! Hehehe ..

    O boy, your tart looks fantastic, you are such a talented baker ... I can never whip up something without a recipe :0/

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  2. Mmm mmm! I'll have what you're having!

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  3. hmm good to see okra being used more.
    we do something here in Barbados called cou cou with it
    it looks sorta like polenta but the cornmeal contains okra.
    Thanks for the idea
    My dad does it in a stir fry and then it is no slimy anymore!

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  4. Anonymous6:01 AM

    I'm sort of embarrassed to admit it, but ... I've never actually had okra. It looks really good prepared like this, though!

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  5. oh, god. I love okra so much. But I usually just fry it (or faux fry it in the oven) or stew it with tomatoes. These recipes look great- I should branch out!

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  6. I've actually never really been a fan of okra, but your dishes make me want to give it another chance - they all look sensational!! Oh and garlicky kale??? LOOOOVE that, for sure :0)

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  7. Wow, your tart and gumbo look delicious! I haven't had gumbo in years. I need to give okra and tempeh another chance, and this dish sounds perfect.

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  8. Yea, it's okra time! I really need to buy some from the farmer's market next week. Your soup looks fantastic! I love the idea of butternut squash and okra together.

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  9. Anonymous10:54 AM

    I love the RFD cookbook. Thanks for showing some more great recipes!

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  10. Anonymous12:25 PM

    That tart looks so summery! It would be fun to make little individual ones to take on a picnic.

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  11. Beautiful Yummy looking Tart!

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  12. Well, I'm not an okra fan, but the tart looks REALLY yummy!

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  13. okra! I love everything here, but above all, okra!! I hardly ever get fresh around these parts.

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