Smothered Okra Entree With Spicy Cucumber Side

Smothered Okra Entree and Spicy Cucumber Side Dish. As a full blooded Cajun I grow okra, multiple peppers, and lots of cucumbers. I pickle jalapenos, okra and cucumber, but this dish is a weekly summer staple as well as easy to freeze for the winter. I serve it over rice as an entree, as a side dish to just about anything, add it to a gumbo, or add cubed eggplant and zucchini to it to create a ratatouille. The spicy cucumber side dish uses a homegrown medley of varied peppers and onions as a chowchow. If you're adding it to a gumbo or stew, set aside and freeze a cup or two of this mixture without the tomatoes.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of okra, fresh or frozen (never canned)

1 handful of your choice of peppers

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 large onion, any type

1 large cucumber

3 stalks of celery

Cajun Seasoning to taste (I use 1 Tablespoon)

2 large tomatoes chopped small or 1 can of Rotel Tomatoes

Small bunch of green onions for garnish

Always use a heavy pot but never cast iron for okra. (Okra can ruin the seasoning of cast iron. Plus it makes the okra turn brown.) I chose to use this Hexclad wok because it cleans up so easily. A manual chopper is optional. A good chopping board and sharp knife are a must.

Harvest 2 pounds of fresh okra or use blanched/frozen okra from your own freezer or from the grocery store freezer section. Do not use canned okra as it will become mush very fast. My okra plants are very tall this year, some plants over 10 feet tall, and are still blooming well in July. You may notice the marigold flowers growing amongst the okra plants in my garden. They attract pollinators and repel some pests for me and give my granddaughters something lovely to pick while helping me in the garden. I like to pick my okra pods when they are the size of my index finger to avoid sliminess and tough skin, both are from staying on the stalk too long. I harvest nearly daily and refrigerate without washing in ziplock bags until I have enough; up to a week in the refrigerator. Next pick a few peppers of your choice. I chose these 2 ornamentals and jalepenos from my patio. Also grab a small bunch of green onions for garnish and flavor. If you have fresh tomatoes grab 2 big ones. I have run out of tomatoes for now so I'm using a can of Rotel tomatoes today. Also pick 1 large or 2 small cucumbers from your garden or refrigerator.

I start this step by washing my hands well and filling a sink with hot soapy water. Handling okra and some peppers will leave residue on your hands that can cause itching, swelling, allergic reactions and tears. Avoid touching your face. Optionally, you can wear gloves. I put all discarded chunks into my countertop compost bin pictured here, lined with these nifty compostable liners that I can put directly in my compost pile. Composting kitchen waste is the very best way to grow 10 foot tall okra and almost everything else in your garden. Learn about what can and cannot be composted before beginning.

Okra prep: Rinse off the okra, cut off the stem and the tiny ends, then cut the okra into 1" or smaller pieces as pictured.

FIRST - clean your chopping board, knife and hands after cutting the okra. I prefer a sharp knife for some tasks but a small manual chopper for others.

Onion: Mince into tiny bits, and set aside a heaping tablespoon for your chowchow.

Celery: Cut into 1/2" bits discarding ends of the stalks and any leaves.

Jalapeno: Trim off the stem tops and slice into tiny bits. Discard the seeds inside if you don't want the extra heat they generate.

Peppers: Trim off the stem tops and slice into tiny bits.

Cucumbers: Peel and slice as you like. I prefer 1" size chunks or hamburger type slices. (I pickled 36 jars already this year so I'm giving away and eating what continues to grow in my garden. My chickens love whatever fresh cucumbers are left over.)

Garlic: Mince if fresh or use jarred minced garlic. (I harvested and minced 2 1/2 pints of garlic this year and gave away most of it. My daughter Leslie calls it Jarlic and now you will too.)

WASH YOUR HANDS AND CUTTING BOARD WELL.

I used 2 thick slices of bacon and 2 links of Kountry Boys beef smoked sausages. You may use the meats of your choice.

Cut the meats into bite sized chunks and sauté 3 minutes or more so that they will render the oils needed for the next step.

CLEAN THE CUTTING BOARD, KNIFE AND YOUR HANDS WELL AFTER HANDLING MEATS.

Add the okra to the meats in the pan and sauté for 5 minutes on high heat.

Add the garlic, onions and celery then sauté another 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add the tomatoes and turn to very low heat.

Stir in the seasonings. I use 1 Tablespoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. You may substitute any blend of spices that your family prefers along the lines of Cajun Mixes or simply salt, pepper, cayenne, chili, and garlic blends.

Move the pan full of goodness to a very low heat and cover with a good lid. This will "smother" all of this yumminess into a slurry of a treat. Stir every 20 minutes and cook for a total of 1 hour. Add a very small amount of water if needed to keep it from sticking.

My Grandma Tate used to cook hers in a Dutch oven pot with the lid in the oven on 300 degrees instead of leaving it on the stove as I do. When I eventually asked her why she did it that way she simply pointed out how many family members walk by for a quick taste if you leave it unattended on the stove top. I am also one of the guilty taste testers, it's hard to resist when the garlic aroma starts to waft through the kitchen.

Using the manual chopper or lots of chop-chop-chopping, mince together the tablespoon of onion you set aside earlier and the peppers you chose, to create 3-4 tablespoons of chowchow. Add salt to the chopped cucumbers. Toss the chowchow into the cucumbers along with the salt, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Red pepper flakes can be substituted but it will resemble a kimchi type flavor more than a Cajun flavor. Add a splash of Italian Dressing to zing it up a notch if preferred, or a teaspoon of mayonnaise to creamy it down a tad.