Eaten for centuries, okra is an ancient vegetable originating in southern Ethiopia and is a key ingredient in many traditional African diets. Okra made the journey to North America along with slaves, arriving in the early 1700s. A staple ingredient in Southern cooking, okra appears in soups, gumbos and other saucy stews. It was a common culinary thread among African slaves of various heritages and was hailed as a revered garden plant by Thomas Jefferson in the 1780s. This simple recipe highlights the versatile crispness of fresh okra.
Recipe Servings: 8
Prep Time
15 minutes
+ 30 minutes resting
+ 30 minutes resting
Cook Time
Total Time
45 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh okra, cut into ½-inch pieces, stems discarded
- 1 can (15 oz) of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ear of corn (fresh, in season corn preferred), kernels cut from cob
- 1 large, white onion, diced
- 1 lb (about 15–20) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
- 1 ripe avocado
Directions
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch okra until bright green, about 30 seconds.
- Drain well and cool to room temperature.
- Cut okra into ½-inch pieces and discard stems.
- Place okra, beans, corn, onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper in large mixing bowl. Toss gently to evenly distribute olive oil.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Before serving cut avocado into ¼-inch pieces and toss gently with salad.
- Add salt or pepper, if desired.
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