Brandys Okra Salad Recipes

OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until evenly browned, then remove to paper towels to drain. Pour off most of the bacon grease, leaving a thin coating on the pan. Add okra to the bacon grease in the skillet, and fry until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the okra to a salad bowl, and toss with the onion, green pepper, and tomato. Crumble in the bacon.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, corn oil, and vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the salad, and toss to coat. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

CRISPY OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• In small mixing bowl, stir together onion, tomato, and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In wide, 4-inch-deep heavy pot over moderate heat, heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches oil until deep-fat thermometer registers 350°F. Fry okra in batches (returning oil to 350°F between batches) until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer fried okra to paper towels to drain.
• In large mixing bowl, combine okra, onion-tomato mixture, lemon juice, salt, and chaat masala. Toss gently and serve immediately.

CHARRED OKRA SALAD WITH GARLICKY YOGURT

Steps:

• Squeeze the juice of half a lime into a bowl and add the red onion slices, then stir in honey, a large pinch each of salt and pepper, and cayenne. Let sit at room temperature while preparing the other ingredients (or for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld). Stir occasionally. Before serving, taste and add more salt or squeeze in more lime juice, if you like.
• Heat the broiler and line a sheet pan with foil. Add okra to the pan, drizzle with enough oil to coat the pods and sprinkle with salt, tossing well. Arrange okra into one layer. Broil until tender and charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with cumin right out of the oven while still hot. Taste and add more salt or cumin, if you like. Let cool slightly.
• While the okra broils, make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic and a squeeze or two of lime juice. Slowly whisk in 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil until the dressing has the texture of heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, arugula, herbs, cucumber and tomato. Season to taste with a squeeze of lime juice, a little more olive oil to coat the vegetables, and salt and pepper, tossing well.
• To serve, place salad on individual plates. Top with okra. Drizzle with yogurt dressing, and garnish with some of the cayenne onions. Serve immediately.

OKRA, AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD WITH CHILI AND LIME JUICE

Steps:

• Trim the stems and tips from the okra, and place it in a steamer above 1 inch of boiling water. Cover and steam four minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water, then slice about 1/4 inch thick and place in a large bowl.
• Add the jalapeño, avocado, tomatoes and onion, if using. Season generously with salt, and toss together. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and toss well. Serve garnished with crumbled queso fresco, if desired.

OKRA SALAD WITH TOASTED CUMIN

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Put cumin, coriander and caraway seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat. Shake pan and toast seeds until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Let seeds cool, then grind to a coarse powder in a mortar or electric spice mill. Transfer to a small bowl and add paprika and cayenne. Whisk in olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Add okra and cook for 2 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain and rinse with cool water, then blot with a kitchen towel. Set aside.
• To serve, place okra in a serving bowl. Season lightly with salt and toss with dressing. (Leave to marinate for up to 1 hour if desired.) Garnish with olives, chopped cilantro and some cilantro sprigs.

FRIED OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• Beat together the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce in a small bowl. Add the okra and turn to coat evenly. Let sit for 30 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, and 1 teaspoon of Essence.
• Dredge the okra in the flour mixture and heat the shortening in a skillet, if using, otherwise heat oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 360 degrees F. When it is hot, place the okra in the oil and fry, turning once, for about 2 minutes, or until lightly golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the okra with the remaining 1 teaspoon of Essence. Divide the frisee among 4 salad plates, season with salt and pepper, to taste, top each with okra, smoked mozzarella and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch
• Published by William Morrow, 1993.
• Heat a medium dry skillet over high heat. Add the andouille and saute for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the oil and vinegar, cook for 1 minute, and remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately. Refrigerate any remaining dressing.

OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic. Drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until it is completely emulsified. Stir in the onion and Tabasco.
• In a large saucepan, bring a generous amount of water to the boil. Plunge in the okra and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the okra and sear it, tossing frequently, for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
• Arrange the lettuce leaves in a large serving bowl and scatter the okra on top. Pour the dressing over, toss together and scatter the red pepper julienne on top.

BRANDY'S OKRA SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Cook bacon in oven until crisp but not hard. Place on cutting board and chop. Set aside.
• 2. Fry okra and lay out on paper towel lined cookie sheet. Cool slightly.
• 3. In a large bowl layer everything as follows: okra/onion/bacon/tomatoes/and a little salt. Do this until all the items are used and you are ready to serve. You can use a little of the bacon grease on top if you choose, but not much.