Jul 23, 2009 8:20 pm US/Eastern
Tony Tantillo: Okra
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CBS 2 HD food reporter Tony Tantillo.
CBS
This week's tip is OKRA.
You don't have to have New Orleans cuisine to enjoy okra. Sure it's a mainstay in the South, but all over the country okra is becoming popular. It has been like this for the last few years because of it's subtle flavor, the wonderful flavor that's almost a gummy flavor to it, and what it adds to so many different recipes, but you need to select it and store Okra right or otherwise all the properties it has will be depleted. Let's talk about selection.
When you buy your okra, you want to make sure, well…just like this here, nice and green free from any shriveling or discoloration whatsoever.
A lot of times a lot of people like the smaller okra versus the bigger okra; that depends mainly on the recipe you're using. If you use the bigger okra you can always cut it in smaller pieces. The smaller okra may be cut into two pieces, or use it whole; cut off the tip and add to the recipe. Either way, no matter what the size, when you use it in different ways it is delicious and loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, and nutritional value.
When you bring okra home simply store it in the refrigerator right away; shelf life not that long, 3 – 5 days at the very most. Okra for jambalaya or just about anything.
Moroccan Okra Salad
This is typical of the numerous salads Moroccans eat at the beginning of a meal. Traditionally, the salads are scooped up with pieces of bread; no forks.
Serves 4 to 6 servings as a first course or as part of an antipasto table
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch hot pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound okra, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound tomatoes, cored and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1. Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a cast-iron or other skillet over low heat until fragrant about 10 minutes. Put in a spice mill with paprika and pepper flakes. Grind until fine. Set aside.
2. Put oil in a wok or other large skillet over medium-high heat. Add okra and stir-fry a few minutes. Add garlic and reserved spices, toss a minute, add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cook, covered, about 10 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 5 to 10 minutes or until okra is just tender and most of the juices have evaporated.
3. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and stir in cilantro. Cool to room temperature, check and adjust seasonings; serve.
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