The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-07-10
THE oKRA OR euMeo.
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THE okRA OR GUMeo. -
This is vegetable par excellence
in the hands of good Southern cook
This vegetable, so distinctively a
Southern favorite, is not so we'll known
to Northern cooks except in large
cities. ..+
The seed pod is the edible part Of
this plant, and is wholesome and nutri-
tious. There are two varieties grown
for the market; of these the best is
the short, thick, green pod, which will
remain tender longer than the long,
slender pod, which is pale green and
wiry.
The liking for okra is an acquired
taste with many, and those who are
first introduced to it in the South may
not like it. The creole method of
cooking it is to stew it in as little water
as possible and until it is a sort of
mucilage. If plenty of sailed water
be used and the cooking be not pro-
longed after the okra is tender this
popularity is avoided. OF course the
pods must be very young and tender or
they cannot be cooked in so short a
time.
Many do not know that the delicious
flavor of the famous Georgia Bruins
wick stew is due greatly to the pres
ence of okra we'll cooked in the COM
pound.
Tomatoes and rice seem to be the
proper Accomplishments for this vege-
table, and corn is very frequently
used.
The okra may be canned or dried
for winter use, and when not to be had
fresh in the market can in this man
ner be used all the year round. 1t is
especially nice for winter soups.
Dried okra.
This may be obtained in the market
when the fresh is out of season. 1t is
sliced in rings and evaporated like ap.
pies. The very small tender pods may
be canned whole.
When dried it must soak in water
for an hour before cooking and then
boiled in sailed water until tender
which will require about twenty min.
utes.
Stewed okra.
Take young and tender pods, cut of
each end and wash them thoroughly
boil them in sailed water until tender
(about three-quarters of an hour, then
drain off the water; season with salt
pepper and butter and serve in a Gov
cred vegetable dish.
okra Gumbo Soup.
Cut two quarts of okra into rings
and add two quartes of tomatoes and
three quarts of water; put over the
fire and let it boil; take young
tender chicken, joint it and fry nice
brown; put it into the okra and toma
toes; make brown sauce with the
fat remaining in the pan and add tc
the soup. Add three small onions
chopped fine, cup of corn and cup Of
lima beans, and salt and pepper to
taste. Let it simmer gently for sew
eral hours. When this soup is served
tablespoonful of boiled rice and a
tablespoonful of sweet green pepper
cut fine, is put into each soup plate.
Stewed Okra With Tomato Sauce.
Trim the tender pods same as fol
stewing; cover one quart with sailed
water, and slice of bacon and cook
until nearly tender. Then drain and
add one cup of tomato and one cup
of brown sauce; salt and pepper to
taste and simmer until okra is done.
Okra With Rice.
Prepare one quart of okra as fol
stewing; put them in saucepan with
a pint of tomato pulp, half a pound Of
ham or lean bacon cut into cubes, 9
small onion and a red pepper chopped
fine and pint of good broth or stock
Simmer gently for half an hour. Just
before serving add tablespoonful Of
gumbo fillet powder; let it boil w
once and serve with boiled rice. The
rice may be 1leaped in the center Of
the dish.
okra sauted, Creole Style.
Wash, trim and cut into slices 8