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Okra and Fresh Summer Tomatoes

Servings: 4 servings
Course: easy side dish, easy side dish, vegetable
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups trimmed fresh okra cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 slices bacon, shopped
  • 1 tbsp reserved bacon fat
  • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeno stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3-4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
  • pinch of sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the okra and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until the okra starts to slightly brown and most of the 'slime' has disappeared. Set aside.
  3. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. Remove all but a tablespoon or so of the bacon fat. Add the onion, jalapeno, and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and vinegar.
  5. Cook for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and start forming something like a paste.
  6. Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes longer over low heat.
  7. Stir the okra into the tomato sauce, raise the heat to medium, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  8. Taste, and adjust seasonings, as needed. Remove bay leaves and serve at once.
  9. Add the crumbled bacon to the top.