Mediterranean Okra and Tomato Stew
- Total Time
- 2 hours 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2pounds small okra
- Salt
- 1cup red wine vinegar
- ¼cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2medium onions, cut in half lengthwise then sliced thin across the grain
- 3 to 4garlic cloves to taste, minced
- 1pound tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, seeded and grated, or else peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can, with juice
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1tablespoon tomato paste diluted in ½ cup water
- 1teaspoon ground allspice
- 1teaspoon sugar
- 2 to 4tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
- ¼cup finely chopped parsley
For the Mediterranean Okra and Tomato Stew
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
268 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 1147 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
For the Mediterranean Okra and Tomato Stew
- Step 1
Trim the stems off the okra, and place in a large bowl. Salt generously, douse with the vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the okra, and rinse thoroughly.
- Step 2
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole. Add the onions. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the okra, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until the edges begin to color. Add the garlic, stir together for about half a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 3
Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, allspice and sugar. Add water if necessary to just cover the okra. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes until the okra is very tender. Add the parsley and lemon juice, and simmer another five minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
- Advance preparation: You can make this up to a day ahead of serving. Reheat, or serve at room temperature.
Private Notes
Comments
I like and cook okra. This is not too different from the stewed okra and tomatoes commonly cooked in the South. I think that either the marinating with salt and vinegar or the spices brought out the flavor of the vegetables more than most recipes.
A secret to avoiding slime in okra is this: handle it very gently at every stage--from picking (if you are so ambitious) right through the entire cooking process. Okra treated this way and cooked whole (not too long) is a tasty treat with wonderful textures in the skin and seeds. And no slime at all.
I adore this recipe and think it’s a fantastic rendition of Greek bamias... evoking August evenings on the terrace in Athens. The lemon seals the deal. Upon discovering this recipe, I made it every Sunday for the 3 months straight I managed to find okra at my local farmers market.
I really don’t like slimy okra, so I roasted it at 375 for 15 minutes before tossing putting it in with the onion. I think it was the right call. That was the only change I made (besides halving the recipe because we only had one pound.) Everyone at the table adored it. Will be making again.
Tasty and the flavor is dead on where it should be. I used large okra past their prime, cut in 1-inch lengths (I personally wouldn't waste ideal okra on a stew). My family serves this with bread, not rice; pick a soft white bread without much sugar.
Not very different from my southern grandmother’s version. I love okra.