It’s Okra season!

Since I make an attempt to eat what’s in season, (and not just with my seafood choices,) that means I’m eating okra. In addition, you should know, my organic CSA basket has overflowed with fresh okra the last few weeks.

So after careful consideration, which got me nowhere, I tweeted, “What should I do with all my okra?”

@chefhollywog tweeted with her ideas within minutes. Thank you Holly. One of her ideas was stewed okra & tomatoes.

And from there, I spun the Snapper and Okra-Tomato Chowder recipe. Plus her other idea (pickled okra), although a good idea, was not going to work. You see, I’m pickled out. My fridge is full marinated cucumber’s, green beans, corn relish, and dill pickles.

And now this is what happened at my kitchen counter after I made the Snapper and Okra-Tomato Chowder…

We sit at the kitchen counter most nights for dinner. It’s convenient. Actually, I have a cooking island in the middle of the kitchen with an attached bar-like counter. How can we not eat there?

I ladled the Chowder into bowls and handed them to Elvis who waited for zee soup at the counter.

“What’s that green stuff?” Elvis asked as he peered into the steaming bowl of Snapper and Okra-Tomato Chowder.

“Okra, baby,” I said, with sudden interest at the legs on my glass of Merlot.

I peeked over at him as I spooned a mouthful of chowder into my pie hole. He was pushing the okra to the side. Flicking it actually. I know he is annoyed. I’m two spoonful’s into the soup and another sip of wine into the meal when I drop a chunk of crusty sourdough bread into the bowl and let it soak up the thick, rich Old Bay-flavored broth.

“When was the last time you ate okra?” I reach for my Merlot, again studying the legs on the glass as if I was taking the exam for a sommelier license (which I’m not.)

“The only time I ate okra, it was fried…a long time ago.” He shoots a look my way, which I interpret as, “You know I don’t like okra.”

“That’s the worst way to eat it,” I counter trying to get him interested in my diagonally-cut pieces of fresh red and green organic okra.

I get another look that tells me it doesn’t matter how organic, geometrically-diced, or subtle-tasting this okra is, he’s not biting.

Marriage will do that, you know-no words necessary to communicate.

“This snapper is amazing,” I say changing the subject. He’s definitely not eating the okra, just as I know he won’t eat asparagus.

“Yes,” he said, “it is, baby.” Then he flicked a few more pieces of okra around in his bowl.

Just because.

Snapper Okra-Tomato Chowder

Serves four

When you have fresh okra, try my rich, yet simple chowder. It’s the perfect marriage with tomatoes and thick, flaky Caribbean snapper.

Conversation optional. Appetite required.

• Buy four ounces of snapper per person. No snapper in your market? Sub grouper or halibut, two other sustainable, perfect-for-chowder fish choices.
• *If you use fresh tomatoes, you’ll need to blanch them to remove the skin and then skim off the foam as the broth simmers, before you add the okra and potatoes.
• Although the photo above shows crowder peas, I subbed chopped celery hearts instead, because the peas would take longer to cook than this recipe requires.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ Shallot, minced
• 1 small onion, quartered, then again to eighth’s
• 2 medium carrots, washed and thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour, plus more if needed
• 4 cups Chicken stock
• 5 medium fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped in food processor, or one large can tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• Salt & pepper, to season
• 1 cup okra, scrubbed, caps cut off and chopped
• 4 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless Caribbean red snapper, cut in four equal portions

• In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium high heat. When oil shimmers and butter stops foaming, reduce heat to medium and add onion, carrots and celery. Stir and cook about five minutes or until onions are translucent, careful not to brown onions.
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, Stir and cook another few minutes until the flour turns a light caramel color.
• Add the chicken stock, tomatoes*, Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir and cover with a vented lid. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Add the okra and potatoes, cover with vented lid and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about twelve minutes.
• Add snapper and increase heat to medium. Cover with vented lid and cook about six to seven minutes. Snapper will flake apart when pressed with your finger. If you’re uncomfortable with cooking fish, cut the snapper in half, but keep pieces even for even cooking.
• Taste broth, adjust with more salt, and pepper if desired.
• Serve immediately.

Tell me about your favorite okra recipe or story. Or if you just want to read about my sustainable seafood geek stories and news, sign up for my newsletter. Thanks for stopping by.