Recipe: Okra Stew

Recipe Source: Wise, Victoria Jenanyan. The Armenian Table. St. Martin's Press, New York, 2004 pp. 225 – 6

I was trying to clear out some space in my freezer recently, and I came across some frozen okra. I'd purchased a large pile of it in a fit one day, after trying four different supermarkets – during okra season – and finding that none of them had any okra. Well, I've been able to find okra a little more reliably lately, and so I don't feel that I need to hoard it like a dragon. (An okra dragon.) I decided to use it for one of our Sunday dinner dishes, since it would fill out our offerings nicely. My husband objected. He hates okra. Usually I have to wait until my father-in-law comes to town to make okra, but this time I didn't. And do you know what? It turns out that one of our guests is almost as fond of okra as I am. Who knew?

I made a few changes to this recipe. I changed the proportions of most of the spices to match my personal preference. I also omitted the corn, since I didn't think I had any. I omitted the cilantro, too. The result was a very tasty stew that came together very easily and satisfied a lot of people.

Okra Stew (serves 12; approx. $1.47/serving)

1 pound frozen okra, cut into pieces

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon cumin

1 pinch saffron

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

5 small red potatoes, diced

1 cup water

Equipment:

• Large bowl
• Sauté pan or wok

1. Combine the okra, salt and vinegar in the bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
2. Melt the butter in the sauté pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the onions and cook until the onions soften.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to render their juices.
5. Add the spices, potatoes, water and unrinsed okra. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
6. Serve.