Author Notes
I was passing a produce stand and happened to see that a tray of okra was $1. At first repulsed, because of meals with sticky okra made by inept relatives, a new thought emerged while staring at the green pods: 'I can do better.' Into the grocery bag went the okra, and this examiner headed home with a head full of ideas. —SEB Market BK
Ingredients
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5
medium sized okra pods
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1 teaspoon
olive oil
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1
spring onion, chopped from bulb to end of green stalk
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1
can of octopus parts in oil
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1 tablespoon
of undiluted tomato paste
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2 tablespoons
of warm water
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1 tablespoon
balsamic vinegar
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oregano and basil to taste
Directions
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To keep it simple, okra is actually great for people! It has no fat or cholesterol, it does have potassium, and vitamin a in spades. There's no sodium, so great for those of us with high blood pressure, and that dreaded stickiness serves to thicken stews like gumbo. How bad can anything in gumbo really be? People in the Southern part of the US feature okra in so many recipes, that it's shameful NOT to eat it. Who could resist something called Fried Pecan Okra? And if you're still not sure, WikiHow even has a full page with videos on how to prepare okra.
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Wash and trim a handful of okra pods. Cut of stem ends.
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Pour a teaspoonful of olive oil into a skillet and heat.
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Add chopped fresh spring onion, garlic, oregano, basil, and a can of chopped octopus. Saute for a few minutes and then add a cupful of halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes to blend flavors
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add half of a can of tomato paste diluted with a few tablespoons of warm water. Add the diluted paste to the skillet and stir. If it's too thick add water to loosen it up.
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Add a brimming tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, stir, and then cover. Simmer on low heat.
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Boil up some pasta to an al dente texture. Heap pasta in a bowl, then ladle on the sauce. Sprinkle on a little parmesan and enjoy with a hearty glass of red wine.
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