CSA Pickups -- Week 17 -- Eggplant

Roots Farm CSA Week 17: August 23 & 26

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This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Sugar Baby Watermelons, Mixed Other Melons
-Garlic
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm
The weather is cooling off and we’re in the midst of Fall plantings. We transplanted kale, cabbage, and broccoli last week and finished the cabbage and cauliflower this week. We’re direct seeding radishes, turnips, and arugula, and our direct seedings of beans, summer squash, and cucumbers are already up and going! The carrots and beets are taking a bit longer, and the grass in that part of the garden is really giving us a run for our money. We may have to re-seed to beat it, which means a later start on carrots. Always something to manage. Thankfully, there’s nice, cool weather to do it in.

Take the Survey!
Every year, we like to get feedback and try to do a better job by our members. For that, we need to know what you think! So we’ve created a super short, 10-question survey that you can take online. Click here for the survey. Please tell us how we did and what we could do to make our services more desirable for you. We developed in-town pickups per request, have grown more strawberries and less eggplant (if you can believe that), more lettuce, more arugula, more cantaloupes. We’ve created half shares, instituted a market-style pickups on-farm, gone to online newsletters, accepted memberships online, and more! What would YOU like to see in your local CSA? Let us know.

September CSA
We’re still accepting members to the first of our Fall CSA offerings--September! We’ve got about 15 shares still available, so spread the word. Tomatoes, basil, peppers, eggplant, okra, and more! Oh my! We’re only offering one share size--half share for $21-23/week ($21 on farm, $23 in town). Click here to sign up today! Or, go to our website for a few more details. Hope to have you with us!

Eggplant
The mighty eggplant is in the spotlight this week.

Eggplant Fritters
eggplant
2 cups all-purpose flour (you can also use seasoned flour or add desired seasonings)
1 scant tsp salt
dash of freshly ground pepper
3/4 - 1 cup flat beer or water
olive oil, for frying

In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, and pepper. Make a well in center and add beer or water. Stir with a fork until a thick batter forms. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours before using. Reserve remaining flour for dredging vegetables. Wash and dry eggplants. Slice into either thin rounds or long thin strips. Salt, if desired, to rid them of any bitterness for 30-60 minutes. (If you do this, rinse them very well and pat dry.) Dip in batter and deep-fry in very hot oil. From The Food and Wine of Greece.

Tomato & Eggplant Salad
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp ouzo
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt, to taste
2 medium to large plump ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash eggplant and pat dry. Puncture skin lightly with a fork and bake whole in an ungreased pan for about 25 minutes, or until soft and slightly shriveled. Remove and cool slightly. Remove stems, cut eggplant in half lengthwise, and remove skin and seeds. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide, then cut strips in half. Place in a small deep bowl and marinate in olive oil, ouzo, garlic, and salt for at least 2 hours before using. In a medium bowl, combine eggplants, tomatoes, and parsley. Toss well and season with freshly ground pepper. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 servings. From The Food & Wine of Greece.

Baba Ganoujh (or Ghanoush)
2 lbs eggplant, cut in half, flesh side scored deeply in crosshatch pattern
2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp virgin olive oil
Lemon juice to taste (1-2 lemons)
4 Tbsp yogurt
4 Tbsp tahini (or substitute mayonnaise)
1 tsp salt, to taste
minced fresh parsley

For an authentic smoky taste, grill or broil the eggplant first. If you’re using a grill, maintain heat at a medium-low temperature. If you’re using a broiler, preheat first and then turn it down to the lowest possible temperature. Brush the eggplant halves with olive oil and place, flesh-side down if using a grill, flesh-side up if using a broiler, and cook until charred and very soft, turning once, about 40 minutes. Set the eggplant to drain in a colander in your sink until it’s no longer warm to the touch. Scoop the flesh into a food processor or food mill, discarding skin. Process the eggplant with a few off-on pulses or force it through a food mill into a mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, tahini (or mayonnaise) and salt. Place the mixture in a serving dish and sprinkle the top with parsley. Chill well. Serve as a dip with raw veggies or pita bread. Makes 4 servings. From the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook.

Thai Eggplant Dip
2 medium eggplants
3-4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
pita bread

Cut off eggplant stems. Pierce eggplant several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and cook in a 350-degree oven until very soft, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, remove skin. With the motor running on a food processor, add garlic and ginger and mince. Add eggplant and whirl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except bread. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze. Serve with warm pita bread triangles. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Baked Eggplant “Lasagna”
Olive oil for greasing pans and coating eggplant and peppers
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup tomato sauce, divided
4 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1/3 cup pitted, finely sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8– or 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet, season with salt, and lightly brush the tops with olive oil. Bake until eggplant is soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a plate and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Toss the peppers with a few dashes of olive oil in a medium bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, egg whites, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, basil, parsley, cayenne pepper, and a generous dash of salt until all of the ingredients are well combined. Arrange half of the eggplant slices in the baking dish. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the slices. Pour half of the tomato sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Arrange the pepper and olives on top of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Add the remaining eggplant slices and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until all the layers are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 45 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

CSA Pickups -- Week 16 -- Peppers

Roots Farm CSA Week 16: August 16 & 19

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This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Watermelons: Sugar Baby
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm . . .
We just got in our first round of Fall transplants to plant--hundreds of little green babies of kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage to get in the ground. And this week, the weather has taken a turn for the better, bringing us days in the low 90’s, nights in the 60’s. Wow! It’s so nice out there I don’t know what to do with myself. Keep working, I guess. It’ll be good for the new transplants, though, to have a gentler introduction into the sometimes harsh conditions of field life. We’ll be gentle. Nature will be whatever it is.

Summer CSA Pickups Reminder
We’ve had a lot of questions about when pickups end for the season, so here’s the update: after this week, there are 2 more weeks of pickups. The very last pickup date for the summer season is Friday, September 2. So keep coming out--we’ve still got your veggies. And some of you still have our boxes. If you have any laying around, please bring them on back. We’ve resorted to using liquor boxes because we’re out of the fancy waxed ones. Although it is entertaining to give folks veggies is Jose Cuervo boxes, the waxed ones hold up much better to refrigeration and continued usage.

Fall CSA!
Yay! Right now, we’ve got a September CSA to offer you. Our apologies if you’ve had any trouble signing up. We’re still learning how the system that we’re using operates, so thanks for your patience as we work out the bugs. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to email us at RootsFarm@hotmail.com and we’ll get you lined up right. So yeah. Four weeks of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, and okra. Stock up on your late summer produce. One size share only, same two pickup options. The two pickups cost slightly different prices since we’ve added a small fee to the in-town pickups to cover our costs for processing, packaging, and delivery. Here are the details:

Tuesday On-Farm pickups $21/week for 4 weeks = $84
Friday In-Town pickups $23/week for 4 weeks = 92

Pickups will continue to be from 4-7pm both days and both locations. Full payment is due upon checkout, and you get a 3% discount for paying by check or cash. SIGN UP TODAY! We’re only offering 60 shares, so get yours now. Click here to sign up online. Or go to http://rootsfarm.joincsa.com. We’re excited to continue to offer you the best summery goodness we can produce. Hope you join us. Please feel free, and indeed encouraged, to invite your friends as well.

Peppers
Our spotlighted veggie this week is the amazing and delicious pepper! Yay! Peppers are nutritionally significant and most contain high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the minerals iron and potassium. Native to Central and South America, pepper seeds have been found in Mexico from before 5000 B.C.! Following Columbus’s voyage, peppers spread quickly through Europe and all the way to India, where they were rapidly assimilated into the native diet. How will you assimilate peppers into your diet?

Storage: keep your peppers in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Peppers will get wilty and dehydrated-looking if left out in the open air, so keep them in a drawer or bag in the cool. Cut peppers deteriorate quickly, so use em if you cut em. They also freeze well--I like to dice them and freeze them on a cookie sheet, then scoop them off into a freezer bag for easy later usage. Usage: raw, in salads, sandwiches, soups, stews, sauces, omelets, stir-fires, casseroles, on the grill, and more!

RECIPES
Roasted Bell Peppers
4 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, green, or purple)
olive oil

Turn your gas burner on high (electric will work, but gas is better) and place the peppers directly on the flame. Use any number of available burners to accommodate the peppers, or if the peppers are small you can place two on one burner. Using tongs, turn the peppers as their skins blacken; you want to end up with a pepper that is completely black (the amount of time for this depends on the size of the pepper, how hot the flame is, and how often you turn the peppers). Once they’re blackened, place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the bag tightly. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, cut them in half, remove the stem and seeds, and flatten each half on your cutting board. Use a knife or your fingers to scrape away the skin. The peppers are now ready to use (keep refrigerated and use within the week). To store your roasted peppers longer, place them in a container, cover with olive oil, and seal tightly (then they will keep for several weeks). From Farmer John’s Cookbook. These are great on sandwiches, pizza, pasta, in omelets, with hummus, and more! Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded & finely chopped (opt)
1, 28oz can tomatoes, with juice, chopped OR 1 quart stewed tomatoes OR 4 cups fresh
1, 16oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cups cooked (1/2 cup dried)
1, 16oz can black beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cups cooked (1/2 cup dried)
1 cup tomato juice
salt & pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, peppers, onions, and garlic. Saute until onions are golden, 12-15 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and jalapenos. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, tomato juice, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes. Makes a lot of food. I’m guessing 6-8 servings.

Escalivada Sandwiches
1 red onion
1 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 red bell peppers, roasted
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
4 sandwich rolls, preferably ciabatta
4 oz fresh goat cheese
4 oz arugula
Herb Sauce:
½ cup basil leaves
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup mint leaves
juice from ½ lemon
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice onion, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers into ¼-inch rings. Toss the vegetable slices with olive oil and salt. Place the vegetables in a roasting pan in a single layer, and place the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still maintain their shapes. Meanwhile, toast rolls. Divide cooked vegetables among the 4 rolls. Top vegetables with goat cheese and arugula. Place all herb sauce ingredients in a blender; puree. Spoon over arugula. Serve sandwiches warm. Makes 4 servings. From Peter Dale, chef of The National restaurant in Athens, GA.

Stuffed Peppers
a little oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
3 cups water, vegetable stock, or tomato juice
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/3 lb cheddar cheese, grated
salt & pepper
4 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

Heat oil in large skillet; add and saute garlic and onions. Add rice and brown for about 5 minutes. Add desired liquid and allspice. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes. Toast almonds in dry skillet or hot oven for several minutes, tossing often. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and stuff peppers with rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

CSA Pickups -- Week 15 -- Tomatoes

Roots Farm CSA Week 15: August 9 & 12

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This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star (sweet frying pepper)
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Watermelons: New Orchid, Sorbet Swirl, Sugar Baby
-Butternut Squash
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm . . .
It’s transition time. We’re taking out old spent Summer crops--mowing, tilling, removing old trellises, making up beds--and getting ready to plant new Fall babies. This week: arugula, beans, squash, carrots, beets, cilantro, dill, and more! And we’ve got our first round of transplants coming in this week--broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. It’s time to turn over and begin again.

Saturday Workday, THIS SATURDAY, August 13
That’s right, folks, we’re already bumping up on the second Saturday of the month, and that means our monthly Saturday workday! Let’s beat the heat--from 8-11am we’ll be out getting the good work done. We’ll be preparing beds, seeding, transplanting, weeding, pulling old trellises, and more! Come join us for a lovely morning on the farm. Followed by a farm-fresh BRUNCH, as always. Can’t wait to see you out!

Fall CSA!
Yay! Right now, we’ve got a September CSA to offer you. Four weeks of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, and okra. Stock up on your late summer produce. One size share only, same two pickup options. The two pickups cost slightly different prices since we’ve added a small fee to the in-town pickups to cover our costs for processing, packaging, and delivery. Here are the details:

Tuesday On-Farm pickups $21/week for 4 weeks = $84
Friday In-Town pickups $23/week for 4 weeks = 92

Pickups will continue to be from 4-7pm both days and both locations. Full payment is due upon checkout, and you get a 3% discount for paying by check or cash. SIGN UP TODAY! We’re only offering 60 shares, so get yours now. Click here to sign up online. Or go to http://rootsfarm.joincsa.com. We’re excited to continue to offer you the best summery goodness we can produce. Hope you join us.

Tomatoes
This week’s spotlight is on tomatoes, since we’re offering a lot of them. Tomatoes are native to Peru and were first cultivated by the Incas and the Aztecs in the 8th century. Eight centuries later, they made it to Europe where the Italians were the first ones brave enough to consider them food. By 1850, most folks agreed they were worth eating. In the U.S. we now produce more than 2 billion pounds of tomatoes annually and import another 700-800 million pounds from Mexico. There are thousands of varieties of tomatoes out there, 8 of which we’re offering this week. We’ve got pink Arkansas Travellers (Heirloom, very tasty), pink Pink Beauties (Hybrid, also tasty), yellow Sunny Goliaths (Hybrid, very low acid and mild flavor), red Whoppers and Big Beefs (Hybrid, big slicers), purple Cherokee Purples (Heirloom, green shoulders, amazing flavor), yellow SunGold cherry tomatoes (so sweet!), and red Roma Juliet tomatoes (yum!). Hope you enjoy the rainbow of tomato options.

Storage: Keep your tomatoes at room temperature for up to 1 week, longer if still ripening. Do not refrigerate them. An underripe tomato will continue to ripen stored out of the sun at 60-75 degrees. Tomatoes can be frozen whole or made into sauces, salsa, and purees that also freeze or can well. Usage: um, in almost anything? Everything? We’ve got some tomato-centric recipes for you, but you can make a tomato into most any dish. Appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, sauces, stews, even desserts and wine aren’t out of the question. I like them sliced, raw, with salt and pepper. Enjoy.

RECIPES
Salsa
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
1 jalapeno pepper, minced

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2 of the jalapeno pepper, and taste. If you desire your salsa with more of a kick, add the remaining 1/2 jalapeno. If you are satisfied with the salsa's heat, do not add the remaining jalapeno pepper. Cover the salsa, and chill until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings. From www.allrecipes.com.

Bruschetta
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 baguette, sliced and toasted (slices 1/2-inch thick)

Mix the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and garlic together well. Spoon onto toasted baguette slices. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

Caprese
4 tomatoes
4 small balls of fresh mozzarella
1 bunch of basil
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes and the cheese and tear the basil leaves from their stalks. Arrange the mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes into overlapping, alternating layers on your serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add salt & pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Gazpacho
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, & coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
2 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, & coarsely chopped
1 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced, or a dash of hot pepper sauce (optional)
2 tsp salt

Finely chop, but do not puree, in a food processor or blender, the cucumber and bell pepper. Remove to a large bowl. Finely chop in the processor the onion and parsley. Remove to the bowl. Add to the processor and finely chop the tomatoes. Remove to the bowl. Add tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, hot pepper, and salt. Stir well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve in chilled bowls. Makes about 6 cups.

Gazpacho is a cold summer soup popular in Spain. Classic gazpachos are thickened with bread and are best the day they are made. For this one, use half the jalapeno if preparing the soup for the next day, as the heat increases with time.

Basic Blender Italian Tomato Sauce
Lots of tomatoes
Large amount of oregano
Small amount of basil & parsley, dried or fresh
minced garlic cloves
1-2 carrots, finely chopped
salt & pepper
olive oil

In Italy, no one follows a recipe for tomato sauce, so use your imagination fro quantities. A couple of guidelines Do not underestimate the amount of garlic; when in doubt, put in lots. Also, carrots are often the sweetener in Italian tomato sauce. Blend or process the tomatoes to an almost pureed texture. Gradually add herbs, garlic, and carrots. Slowly cook the mixture in a deep skillet (cast-iron is best). When sauce has reduced about halfway to the texture you want, add salt and pepper. Add several tablespoons of olive oil before reheating for serving. Makes any quantity. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

CSA Pickups -- Week 14 -- Okra

Roots Farm CSA Week 14: August 2 & 5

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This Week:
-Corn!! Augusta (Sweet White)
-Figs!: Brown Turkey & Kadota or Calimyrna
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Melons: Diplomat, Sun Jewel, Hannah’s Choice, Jenny Lind, Eden’s Gem, Edisto 47, Mainstream
-Watermelons: New Orchid, Sorbet Swirl, Sugar Baby
-Tomatoes!: SunGold Cherry, Juliet Roma, Arkansas Traveller, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Whopper, Big Beef
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (Sweet Red Bullhorn)
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm . . .
Hot hot hot. Too hot to be out beyond noon. Totally sweaty by 9am. Yikes. But it looks like the veggies are holding up under the strain, and that’s about all I can ask for at this time of year. Finally, our tomatoes are coming in. Lovely pink, yellow, and red ones. Arkansas Traveller, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Whopper & Big Beef--let the flood begin! The peppers are beginning to ripen and Carmen corno di toro, or bull’s horn, sweet peppers are out this week. The second round of CORN is in, big and beautiful. Melons are finishing up. Figs continue. Arugula is still growing, though we’re finding it spicy even small, so I recommend a saute to kill the bite. The red noodle beans still flow, and one of our members was telling us that, really, these are frying beans; they don’t hold up well to boiling water, so a light blanch is all they can take. I think blanch ‘em and fry ‘em after that. With garlic. Yum. Unlike most beans, they stay reddish-purple when cooked. Neat. And eggplant, we’ve got lots of it. As well as okra. Okra is the featured veggie this week, so look below for okra cooking ideas.

Saturday Workday -- August 13 -- 8am-11am
Our August weekend workday is coming up not this week, but next weekend. Yep, we’ll be out here pulling out old plantings, deconstructing trellises, preparing beds, weeding, and planting new Fall stuff. Already? Yep. Come join us for an end of summer morning on the farm. As always, followed by BRUNCH compliments of us, you local friendly farmers.

Okra
Beloved by some, despised by others, okra is now in abundance. Originally from Africa, okra is a member of the mallow family, which also includes hibiscus, cotton, jute, and cacao. The flowers are where you see the relation. The plant itself grows pretty stately and tall on our farm, but man it sure does give me the itches. Long sleeves and gloves are a requirement for picking for me. Not sure why. Anyway, many folks are shy about okra because it can be slimy. Mucilaginous foods don’t tend to garner many friends, but there are some ways to handle this veggie that can offset that property. The slime is set in motion when you cut the pods, so you can either cook the pods whole, slice them and bake or fry them dry, bread and fry them, or add vinegar or lemon juice to your dish. The vinegar and lemon juice have an acidic property that counteracts the slipperiness. So. Don’t be afraid and enjoy your okra.

Storage: keep your okra in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to a week. Like any veggie, it’s best fresh. You can also blanch and freeze it, and someone was just telling me about breading, baking, and freezing their okra for fried okra later . . . hmmm. Preparation: Being from the Southeast, I grew up with plentiful amounts of fried okra, which even appeared on our school lunch plates. Really, I thought it was the only way okra could be prepared. In actuality, there are many ways. Okra grows in many tropical and subtropical climates and is also popular in India. Some toasted cumin seeds and pan-fried okra is not to be missed. One of my real favorites is Gumbo, and I’ve got a recipe for you below. Ummm . . . gumbo. Okra can also be eaten raw, as can the flowers before they turn into pods.

RECIPES
Grilled Okra
Okra
Vegetable oil
Salt
Lemon

Deborah Madison claims that grilling is one of the best things a person can do with okra. For ease of handling, skewer four or five pods onto two parallel skewers, like a ladder. Brush with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill on both sides until lightly marked. Eat hot off the grill with a squeeze of lemon, or add it to a saute of corn and tomatoes, or use it to garnish a plate of black-eyed peas and rice. Makes any quantity.

Curried Okra
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 lb okra, trimmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick (4cups)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp curry powder
1 cup seeded and diced tomatoes
2 tsp garam masala
salt & fresh ground black pepper
cayenne

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast for about 10 seconds. Add the onions, garlic, and curry powder and saute slowly until the onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the okra, tomatoes, and garam masala. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the okra is tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings. Look for garam masala wherever Indian foods or gourmet spices are sold. (In Athens, the Taj Mahal off Baxter St. sells Indian foods/groceries—check it out)

Easy Indian Style Okra
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound sliced fresh okra
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the okra, and season with cumin, ginger, coriander, pepper and salt. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender. Makes 4 servings. From www.allrecipes.com

Okra Gumbo Soup
1 cup chopped onions
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 bay leaves
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
1 cup chopped potatoes
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
3 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup fresh corn
1 cup sliced fresh okra
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
salt & ground black pepper to taste
Tabasco or other hot sauce to taste
1 tsp Worchestershire Sauce

Saute the onions in the vegetable oil until just translucent. Add the herbs, celery, bell pepper, carrot, and potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the tomatoes and stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn, okra, and vinegar and simmer until the okra is tender. Remove the bay leaves. Add the remaining seasonings to taste. Makes 4-6 servings.

From the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook, I think.

Steamed Okra with Lemon Vinaigrette
1 lb okra
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 shallot, finely diced
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or to taste

Rinse the okra, leave them whole, and steam them for 4-6 minutes. Arrange on a plate and let cool while making the lemon vinaigrette. Combine the lemon juice, zest, 1/4 tsp salt, and shallot in a small bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes, then whisk in the oil and season with a little pepper to taste. Taste and correct the balance, adding more oil if necessary. Pour the vinaigrette over the okra and serve cold. Makes 4-6 servings. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.