Chef Fe’s Okra & Tomato Stew

This recipe is a family favorite! My stepmom used to make Okra and Tomato stew all the time when I was growing up. I added the corn to the dish because I just love the sweetness it adds to the meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-pound fresh whole okra
• 8-10 tomatoes-on-the-vine
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 onion
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• 2 ears of corn
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil

SEASONING

• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 ½ Tbsp Creole seasoning
• 1 Tbsp celery seeds
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 ½ tbsp seasoning salt

DIRECTIONS

Prep the corn

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Remove husks from corn and rinse. Towel blot.
3. Drizzle some olive oil on the corn. Then roast in the oven for about 10 minutes.
4. Allow corn to cool then use a knife to shave corn from the cob. Set aside

Prep the Trinity

• Dice the celery.
• Dice the bell pepper.
• Dice half of a yellow onion.
• Combine the onion, bell pepper, and celery into a bowl. Set aside.

Prep the okra

• Rinse okra and towel blot dry.
• Slice okra into quarter-inch slices. Discard the ends.
• Rinse okra and towel blot dry again.
• Place into a bowl and set aside.

TIP: Okra can get slimy, but that’s okay!  It’s a mucilage that thickens the stew and adds fiber to the dish.  If you don’t want the mucilage, fry it a little bit of oil for a few minutes and then put on plate with a paper towel under it to d rain the oil.

Prep the rest

• Mince 5-6 cloves of garlic.
• Cube 8-10 tomatoes.
• Measure out the seasonings. (see above)

Combining and Cooking up the Stew

• Heat a medium saucepan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes.
• Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the heated pan.
• Add in the Trinity and sauté it for approximately 2 minutes until the onion begins to get tender.
• Mix in the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes and mix. Turn up heat to medium-high. Cook down the tomatoes for about 10 minutes.
• Add all the prepped seasoning to the pan. Mix well.

TIP: Onion powder and Garlic powder are guilt-free seasoning. You can add as much as you want!

• Mix in the okra. Stew together at a simmer for 10 minutes.
• Mix in corn. Stew together for an additional 2 minutes or so.  The goal is to heat up the corn.
• Remove your okra and stew from the heat.
• Serve and enjoy! 

Optional: Serve next to or on top of rice.