Okra and Tomato Etouffée

In Louisiana Cajun ‘etouffée’ refers to dishes that are ‘smothered’ in a rich sauce and often served over rice.  While the most well known etouffée dishes are made with shellfish like shrimp or crayfish, there are any number of other versions.  Following is a vegan etouffée featuring okra smothered in a rich tomato sauce.  This is a perfect dish to make during late summer when your garden bounty is at its fullest.  The recipe was adapted from one presented in the 1987 Prudhomme Family Cookbook (ISBN 978-0688075491) in which chef Paul Prudhomme and his 12 brothers and sisters share their favorite foods from their childhood.  It is really an excellent collection of heirloom Cajun recipes and you should check it out if you have the chance. 

¼ cup olive oil
1½ pounds okra, sliced 1” thick
1 cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
½ cup water

In a heavy cast iron skillet over high heat, warm the oil until almost smoking.  Add in the okra, onion, bell pepper, celery, salt, cayenne and garlic.  Cover pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.  Remove cover and continue cooking another 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any brown sediment off the pan bottom.  Add in 1 cup of the tomatoes and the water.  Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture begins to excessively stick to the pan bottom, about 10 minutes.  Add in another cup of tomatoes, and cook as before for another 10 minutes.  Add in the remaining 2 cups of tomatoes and cook again as before for a final 10 minutes.  If you see that the browned sediment at the pan bottom is sticking in the same spot, rotate the pan to help it stick elsewhere.  Remove from heat and transfer 3 cups of the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

As the pan cools the bottom crust will loosen.  Stir well to dissolve it into the remaining mixture.  Now place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the okra is mushy and brown, about 25-30 minutes.  Remove pan from heat, let cool slightly, and scrape the pan bottom to dissolve any browned sediment.  Return the reserved okra-tomato mixture and place pan over high heat.  Stir constantly until all is heated through.  Serve immediately over rice.

Archive

Copyright Statement