In last week’s veggie share, I had a choice between celery and okra.  Most would have gone with the celery.  But I decided to take a chance with the okra.  Then the fun of finding a good preparation method began.

If not cooked properly, okra can have a slimy inside or a stringiness that makes it difficult to chew.  In the south, they tend to cut the okra into pieces, bread and then deep fry it, but that can make it soggy.  A friend of mine prefers grilling it with lots of spices.  But grilling can result in uneven temperatures and doneness.  So I tried this simple roasting technique, which was quick, easy and tasty.  Now I’m looking forward to more okra in next week’s share.

Oven Roasted Okra
Serves 2.

Ingredients

1/2 lb of okra
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil (try jalapeno or chili oil if you have it)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut off any long tops and rinse.  Put oil in a bowl and add okra.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper as desired.  Toss to coat.

Place okra in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes.  Serve as a side or a snack.