What I'm Cooking This Weekend . . .

Stewed tomatoes & okra is a dish I grew up with-admittedly one that took some time for me to grow to love. But come to love it I did! As I played around with this family favorite, I discovered that a little roux, a pinch of cayenne and a bit more time over the heat created a thick & rich Tomato & Okra Gravy-bursting with flavor! It's also the perfect dish to use up those late summer tomatoes and okra.

I usually serve it over rice . . . sometimes over buttermilk biscuits . . . and when I'm really showing off, over pimento cheese grits.

Hope you enjoy my revamped family recipe.

Keep Cooking!

Chef Jenn

Tomato & Okra Gravy

Packed with fresh off the vine tomatoes and crisp okra, this dish will become a new family favorite.

Yields about 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon grease 1 small onion, chopped, about ½ cup

4 medium garden fresh tomatoes, about 2 cups, cored and sliced thick 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups vegetable stock or water 1 pound tender young okra, stems removed, cut into ½ inch pieces, about 2 cups

1 tablespoon salt *

2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper * ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper *

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over low heat.

Add onions and cook until soft but not browned.

Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook until tomatoes start to break down; about 10 minutes

Add flour, and whisk until well incorporated, about 5 minutes.

Pour stock into skillet, and whisk until smooth. Add okra.

Simmer until okra and tomatoes become a thick gravy; about 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper; continue to simmer another 5 minutes, or until okra has cooked through.

Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve over white rice, buttermilk biscuits or cheese grits.

*Substitute 2 tablespoons Moulin Rouge Sassy Salt in place of the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Order HERE

Recipe adapted from Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent by Jennifer Hill Booker, © 2014 Jennifer Hill Booker, used by permission of the publisher, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.