Annie & Skyler We’re in the heat of summer and the okra wave is rolling big-time in the FIO garden. An everyday harvest of 4 or 5 pods adds up quick. Just look at these beauties!
For something new, we decided to transform this Southern-food staple into a super delicious appetizer—perfect for summertime happy hours, parties, or just chillin’ out. Our favorite part? This okra appetizer recipe is make-ahead friendly AND super easy. Just stir up an AMAZING bacon and fresh tomato remoulade in mere minutes, then toss the okra on the grill when your pals arrive. Little effort, big rewards!
Step 1: Stir Up Remoulade. Combine the remoulade ingredients. The combo of tomatoes, bacon, and mayo gives the dip a delightful BLT-esque falvor! Cover and chill until serving time. A little downtime in the fridge (up to 8 whole hours!), gives the flavors a chance to marry and become even more delicious.
Step 2: Grill Okra Toss the okra with olive oil, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce. Grill the okra until charred and tender. You should be able to easily stick a fork into the pods with little effort. If using a grill pan, cover the pan loosely with a piece of foil so the pods steam slightly as they grill.
Step 3: Serve. Arrange grilled okra on a serving platter. Transfer the remoulade to a small bowl and put on platter. Sprinkle with a little extra bacon, parsley, and/or Cajun seasoning. So easy and SO delicious!
Next time you see these okra at your local farmer’s market, grab ‘em up and don’t let the spiny little pods intimidate you—okra is a more cook-friendly than you might think. Trust us, next year you’ll want to grow your own. It’s SO easy (tips below)!
Growing Okra A lovely addition to a veg garden OR flower garden, this eye-catching annual is super easy to grow. We HIGHLY recommend.
•Tall plants, beautiful flowers. A member of the tropic hibiscus family, okra plants create gorgeous yellowish pink flowers, then quickly turn into tender pods. Plant seeds in late spring/early summer mostly sunny spot. Keep in mind okra plants can grow 5 to 6 feet tall.
• Harvest daily. Once your plants start flowering, watch for the pods to appear quickly. Avoid letting your pods grow longer than about 4 inches in length—if allowed to grow beyond that, the pods will be too fibrous and stringy to eat. We harvest a handful of pods everyday and store them in a produce bag in the fridge until we have enough to cook with or freeze.
Too Much Okra? To freeze okra, cut the pods into 1- or 2-inch slices. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and pack into freezer bags or containers. Freeze up to 8 months.
Grilled Okra with Bacon-Tomato Remoulade
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and chopped
- 1 Roma-style tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 Tbsp. chopped dill pickles
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ tsp. Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp. grainy mustard
- ½ tsp. lemon zest
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. cracked black pepper
- 12 oz. fresh okra
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- For remoulade, combine mayonnaise, bacon, tomato, pickles, parsley ½ tsp. of the Cajun seasoning, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Cover and chill until serving time, up to 8 hours.
- Heat and outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, toss okra with the okra, hot sauce (if using), and remaining 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning. Grill okra, covered and turning occasionally, until fork-tender and grill marks appear. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve with remoulade. If desired, sprinkle with additional bacon and parsley.
