FRIED OKRA WITH RéMOULADE
"Fresh, never frozen" - that's Joseph J. Boudreaux III's motto when it comes to making the best fried okra. The Tipping Point Coffee co-owner and Houston home cook believes fried okra relies on fresh okra pods and a righteous cornmeal breading. Paired with a creamy rémoulade that's infused with a bit of heat, Mr. Boudreaux's fried okra recipe pays homage to his father, who grows the flowering plant right in his backyard in Texas. It captures all that the South adores about the quintessential summer side: simplicity, ease and plenty of flavor.
Provided by Kayla Stewart
Categories vegetables, appetizer, side dish
Time 40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Make the rémoulade: In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, Cajun seasoning, vinegar and lemon juice. (Makes about 1 1/2 cups rémoulade.) Cover the sauce and chill it in the fridge until you serve.
- Prepare the okra: Pour oil into a large pot with high sides and a lid, to a depth of a few inches. Heat oil over medium-high to 350 degrees.
- While the oil is heating, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Place the cut okra into the buttermilk mixture and stir to coat.
- In a large bowl, stir the flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning and cayenne.
- Working in 4 separate batches, dredge the soaked okra in the cornmeal mixture using your hands. Shake off the excess flour and place the okra onto a wire baking rack. After one to two dredgings of okra, use your hands or a slotted spoon to sift the flour and cornmeal mixture, removing any clumps. Finish coating the remaining okra.
- Working in about 4 batches, making sure to not crowd the pot, fry the okra, stirring frequently, until crispy and golden, about 4 minutes. (Take care not to burn it.)
- Remove okra using a spider and allow the okra to drain on two plates covered with paper towels. Immediately season okra with sea salt. Serve immediately with the chilled rémoulade.
GRILLED OKRA WITH CAJUN RéMOULADE
Okra is a popular item at robatayaki (grill) restaurants in Japan where the pods are pinned together with skewers into rafts. Turning rafts of okra (versus flipping individual pods) is the easiest way to grill them. Besides the charred smoky flavor grilling imparts to all vegetables, it also minimizes okra's slime factor - boiled or stewed okra tends to become mucilaginous. This is useful for thickening gumbo, but it's off-putting to many people who try to eat okra straight. In keeping with okra's Louisianan associations, this formula calls for dusting the okra with Cajun seasoning before grilling and serving it with a rémoulade sauce for dipping or spooning on top.
Provided by Steven Raichlen
Time 20m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat your grill to high (450 to 600 degrees). Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it with a tightly folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and drawn across the bars of the grate with tongs.
- Meanwhile, trim the very ends off the stems of the okra, but do not cut into the pods. Lay 4 to 6 okra pods side by side, alternating the positions of the heads and tails. Pin crosswise near the heads and tails with toothpicks or short metal or bamboo skewers to form rafts. If the bamboo skewers extend far beyond the okra, snip off the long ends of the skewers. Brush the okra rafts on both sides with melted butter and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.
- Make the rémoulade sauce: Place the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl and whisk in the mustard, horseradish, pickle juice (if using), hot sauce, pimentón, Cajun seasoning and chives. Transfer to 4 small serving bowls.
- Arrange the okra rafts on the grate and grill (covered if you are using a gas grill), basting with any remaining butter and turning with tongs, until well browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer the okra to a platter or plates. Have each eater remove and discard the skewers and pick up the grilled okra with their fingers to dip in the rémoulade sauce.
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