Stewed Okra And Tomatoes
Ingredients
2 tbsp quality olive oil
4 cups trimmed fresh okra cut into 1 & 1/2 inch slices
1 tbsp bacon fat or vegetable oil
1/2 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
1 jalapeno stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 & 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
Southern stewed okra and tomatoes, also called smothered okra or okra gumbo, is an old fashioned Southern classic combo. Okra and tomatoes go together like mashed potatoes and gravy. The perfect match for a signature Southern dish.
Okra and tomatoes may be served as a side dish, as a topping for cooked rice, or become the main meal with the addition of sausage – smoked sausage that is.
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the okra and saute for 5 to 8 minutes until the okra starts to slightly brown and most of the 'slime' has disappeared. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaves, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and vinegar.
Cook for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and start forming something like a paste.
Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes longer over low heat.
Stir the okra into the tomato sauce, raise the heat to medium, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Taste, and adjust seasonings, as needed. Remove bay leaves and serve at once.
Notes
This dish can easily be prepared a day in advance and re-heated 30 minutes before serving. Add a little more stock to thin the dish, if desired
Recipe and image courtesy of Stewed Okra and Tomatoes | How To Feed A Loon