Fried Okra and Pepita SaladSo Idaho was a blast filled with drive in movies,The Spud Drive In
Mexican food out of a school bus (see pic), and the girls horse back riding with the Tetons as their back drop.

However, there truly is no place like home. With all our travels out west, many adventures, food, and family fun, it just feels great to be back in the Lowcountry! Nothing reminds me of home more than fried okra and it’s positively my favorite vegetable. Besides butter beans, it was the only other vegetable I would eat as a child (probably because it was always fried). Now that I’m older, I will eat okra just about every way possible, but I am not ashamed to say I certainly prefer it fried.

Callie taught me to make this version of fried okra. It’s perfectly crisp and not heavily breaded. When I serve it on a salad, I just can’t help thinking it’s OK to have more than one helping. Okra is a wonderful addition to just about any salad but this one was inspired by my Western summer and all the new flavors I experienced. Try this finale to my summer salad foursome and if you are an okra lover, it will be a fast favorite!

I served this with slow grilled barbecue chicken, green beans, and biscuits of course!

Fried Okra and Pepita Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 Well-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet
  • 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons of Butter
  • 2 Handfuls of Roasted/Salted Mexican Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 Ounces of Goat Gheese
  • 2 Heads of Bibb/hydroponic Lettuce washed
  • 1 lb Okra, washed and chopped (cut each end off and discard)
  • 1 Small White Onion chopped
  • 3 Dashes of Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Mix the above 4 ingredients in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes
  2. Heat your cast iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil (you will most likely need to cook the okra/onions in 2 small batches unless you have a large skillet)
  3. Cook the okra/onion mixture on a medium to high heat pan but do not over crowd, cooking just one layer at a time
  4. Let the okra cook, don’t mess with it
  5. After approximately 10 minutes turn the okra to brown on the opposite side
    #Note: The key to cooking this okra is to not stir and fuss with it. You want it to get crispy
  6. Once the okra is brown and crisp (see pic) dry on a paper towel to get out the excess grease
  7. Let cool and start to prepare the rest of the salad.
  8. Take one of the heads of lettuce and tear the leaves apart and place into a bowl
  9. Add the pepitas and pinch off pee sized portions of the goat cheese and add as well
  10. Think of the okra as the croutons, just toss them in at the last minute! Toss and put back into the fridge to chill.
  11. Take the other head of lettuce and choose the best, biggest, leaves (think a purse) to put the salad on.
  12. Toss the salad with your favorite dressing or mine below
  13. Spoon the salad onto the leaves for presentation. (see pic)

Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 Clove of Garlic minced
  • 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Ounces of freshly squeezed Grapefruit Juice
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar.
  • 1/2 Cup Olive Oil

Instructions

  1. Mix the above ingredients with a whisk and add the Olive Oil as your whisking