I am crazy about okra when it roasted in this manner. Simple and easy. Freshly picked okra pods, olive oil, sea salt and hand-ground black pepper and a very generous scattering of shredded Parmigiano Reggiano.
As a young person I was not a particularly picky eater, but I was pretty horrified by bowls of slimy okra on the dinner table. I just could not eat it. No way. My reaction was met with a cross look by my Mother while mumbling once again about the starving children somewhere. For many years I avoided okra. Only in various Cajun dishes did it make edible sense to me.
Roasted or grilled? By the platefuls…handfuls…delicious. Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside. Summer okra.
Parmesan Roasted Fresh Summer Okra
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of fresh okra pods, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup good quality olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a sheet pan (or two) with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl toss okra with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Spread out on parchment lined sheet tray(s).
- Roast for about 12-15 minutes just until slightly softened and crispy. Add more parmesan to serve.
Teresa Blackburn www.teresablackburnfoodstyling.com
Even I, also not normally an okra fan, find this appealing. But do you add Parmesan before you bake it? (And more after to serve.) Thank you.
Yes both before and after and enjoy…you may have to adjust oven temp or time to suit your oven as well. Happy Summer.
My experience and opinion of okra is much as your was in childhood Teresa. I need to broaden my horizons and try grilling it! I felt the same way about cauliflower and brussel l sprouts too and roasting has given me new appreciation for those veggies which are among my favorite now. Thank you for the nudge!
Johanne Lamarche
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My pleasure Johanne…we all need a little nudging at times. Thanks. T
God, I hated okra as a kid, too. It positively ruined by grandmother’s otherwise delicious vegetable soup! But now I know that roasted or fried, it’s delicious!
Okra is a funny vegetable isn’t it…so pretty and can be both awful and delicious. It’s great that we can find new ways to cook old ingredients and make them likable isn’t it. Thanks Michelle.
Your photos make me want to like okra, lol! Granted, I’ve never had it when it wasn’t cooked to death. These look lovely.
Perhaps I’m the only reader who grew up liking okra…fried or okra and tomatoes. This sounds like a new way for me to enjoy it.