Okra

 

Since childhood, I have always had an affinity for fried okra. My waistline has not. On the flight home from our family vacation last summer, I picked up a copy of Fine Cooking magazine, the grilling issue. They had a recipe for grilled okra. I was intrigued. Okra was in season, so on my next grocery run, I picked some up. Can I just say, grilled okra is AMAZING. My husband first looked at it and asked me if he really had to eat it. He ended up eating more than I did. We ate it again the next night. I feel as if we have found a brand new vegetable. The sliminess usually associated with okra seems to fade out on the grill. It is also big enough that you can just throw it onto the grill and it doesn't fall through the grates the way asparagus does. I changed up the recipe a little from the one in the magazine, but the grilling technique is the same. I use Mexican crema, which you can find in the refrigerated section of almost any grocery store, for the sauce. It is amazing stuff, Mexico's version of crème fraiche at a 1/3 of the cost. You can always substitute sour cream.

Grilled Okra

1/2 - 1 lb. okra
1/2 lemon
1 Tbl. olive oil
salt and pepper

Sauce

1/3 c. Mexican crema
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. creole seasoning

Wash okra in a colander.

The take a knife and cut the okra in half starting at just below the top of the vegetable.

 One you have all of the okra prepped. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper. I rub the lemon half in the olive oil, too.

 

Heat grill on high. toss the okra onto the grill. Cook the okra on medium high heat for about 5-8 minutes, turning occasionally. You want the okra to be soft and somewhat charred. I personally really like the charred okra, so I tend to cook them a little longer than when my husband is grilling them. I also grill the lemon cut side down while the okra are grilling. When you take them off of the grill, squeeze the juice over the okra.

For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together, taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve alongside the grilled okra.

I couldn't get a picture in before my husband and I dove in. Next time we make them, I'll update and add some better shots.

Warm Fennel Orange Salad

This post was also going to include a new way I was trying to cook pork chops. Unfortunately, I had a leaning process with my instant read thermometer. Here is what I can relay from my learning experience. When taking the temperature of meat that you have been cooking for what appears to be an adequate amount of time, double check that your thermometer is not reading the temperature in Celsius. Because when you cook pork chops to 180 F. before realizing your mistake, they taste like cardboard.

So, I will just post the recipe for this delicious side dish. With perfectly cooked pork chops, this dish is amazing. Fennel and pork are a match made in heaven. The flavors in this dish, aren't what one would normally think of in composing a side. However, they really work well together.

This dish can be made ahead and served at room temperature, also. For me, though, it tastes best nice and warm from the pan. I useually prep all of the ingredients ahead, so putting it together is fast.

Here is the recipe:

Warm Fennel Orange Salad

1 Fennel bulb, tops removed, sliced (reserve some of the fennel fronds for garnish)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 orange, segmented, juices reserved. I package of mandarin oranges will also work if you do nohave a fresh orange.
1/4  Red onions, sliced thinly
2 TBL capers, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle of good olive oil

Sauté fennel in a nonstick pan with the olive oil over medium high heat until fennel is softened and beginning to brown. Arrange fennel over bottom of serving plate. Spread red onions, orange segments, and capers over. Drizzle some of the remaining orange juice and good olive oil over the salad. Sprinkle with Chopped fennel fronds and Fleur de sel. Serve immediately or may sit at room temperature until ready to serve.