Obsession with Okra

I know, the title of this blog post might perplex many readers, especially those who think of okra as a nasty slimy vegetable that they wouldn't eat if it were the last food on earth. But yes, despite the fact that I used to be one of those people who found okra to be on the "absolutely not to eat EVER!" list, I'm now completely obsessed with it.

My Grandfather who is from South Carolina has tried to get me to give okra a try for the past couple of years, convinced that since my taste buds have matured considerably I would like it. But I didn't trust it, I couldn't get the reminder of my fierce negative reaction to being forced to eat it as a child at holiday dinners. So I made the "nasty face" and told him that there wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that I was going to try okra. And then I went back to South Carolina this spring after a 10 year hiatus.

So here begins the obsession. When I went to Charleston South Carolina for a family visit/vacation I had fresh pickled okra and fresh okra rice and fresh okra, tomato and corn stew that wasn't slimy at all, but quite crunchy and tasty. This wasn't the okra that I remembered as a little girl being forced to eat at holidays. My Grandfather sat in the background as I devoured plate after plate of okra while watching me with a hint of a smug "I told you so" smile. I absolutely loved this stuff and couldn't get enough of it. But in New York, the okra in Wegmans was okay but kind of slimy and not perfect. I then thought it was an illusion, I really must not like okra that much after all, because it doesn't taste like the vegetable that I devoured in South Carolina.

Then last week I went to Eger Bros Farm and low and behold there were baskets of okra. I purchased a basket and made sauteed okra with bacon and onions. It was absolutely AMAZING!, crunchy and fresh and tasty and wonderful, just like the okra I had in Charleston. I went back today and am going to make okra and tomato stew for dinner, and have put a bunch in pickling juice because I'm pickling them for the winter time when it isn't so fresh anymore.

Farm fresh okra is really wonderful. If you are able to try it, I promise that you will no longer think of okra as a nasty slimy vegetable on the "never to eat" list again!
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For those of you who aren't convinced try the below recipe:

(serves 4)
1 lb of okra no longer than 4 inches long (any longer and the okra is tough and stringy) - cut okra lengthwise on a bias diagonal (you should have 2 or 3 pieces cut okra per pod)
4-5 strips of thick cut bacon
1/2 onion
a few dashes of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the bacon in a cast iron or heavy frying pan for 2 minutes until it begins to render fat, then add the onions and saute until just translucent. Then add your okra and hot and saute for about 5 minutes on medium high heat, add the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and saute for 2-3 more minutes until a little browned. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.