64 this morning, foggy after a surprise nighttime rain shower. Now the skies are clearing, the trees are dripping, and the gardens are sparkling and happy.
For some unknown reason the power went off this morning, just as I was finishing up washing the carrots.
I can't imagine what caused the outage, certainly not that little bit of rain. So we cooked breakfast in the gloom, and now we are on the porch, snapping beans. Well, Larry is. I am writing this! I had not planned on canning beans today, but they had to be picked, so here we are.
The carrots need to be sliced and frozen, and there are two cookie sheets of okra waiting to go in the freezer too. A friend gave the okra to us. I have never grown or cooked it, so if you have any suggestions please send them along!
I best better get to these beans. Maybe by the time we're done the lights will be back on. Although lights aren't really the issue---but water is.
I've heard that Louisiana chefs use okra a lot in their cooking but I wouldn't know where to begin.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite the bounty you have harvested!
ReplyDeleteDang. Gonna try one more time. I’m trying a new okra because we’ve been unable to buy good soil. Ours is clay so I’m trying growing in pots. So far I have a single giant pod and a single tiny tomato. My favorite recipe (my own) is for stewed okra and tomatoes with onions. It’s delicious with shrimp, crab, andouille, chicken and combos of at least two proteins. Not a meat eater? Try it alone (okra and tomatoes stewed in fire roasted tomato sauce. We have it fried in cornmeal or with sauteed onions. It’s king in okra gumbo. My mouth is watering! LOL.
ReplyDeleteHere's a recipe to try.
ReplyDeleteFry one small chopped onion, 2 sticks of sliced celery and one chopped green pepper until soft. Add 200g okra - fresh, frozen or tinned (leave whole or chop), 200g cooked black eyed beans, 200g tinned tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon chopped chilli and 125ml vegetable stock. Cook for 15 mins if using frozen or tinned okra, 30 mins if using fresh.
Makes 2 portions. Plenty of scope for adjusting it to suit.
Best wishes, Charmaine UK