Garden Fare

I am so happy to announce that my tiny garden is producing results! Yesterday, my daughter and I picked okra and eggplant from our meager bed, and today we enjoyed fresh eggplant spread on toast, and a delicious pot of okra and tomatoes. I wish that I had pictures to post, but alas and alack, I'm not that thoughtful a blogger yet and taking pics didn't occur to me until after we had consumed our delicious bounty. We due for some more okra, eggplant, peppers, and possible even a zucchini.

I realize that most people don't care for okra, but it is one of my favorite vegetable. Since I didn't know much about it besides the fact that it's completely yummy, I did a little research. It seems that okra has a long history: it grew wild by the Nile, and the Egyptians were the first to cultivate it! It is related to both hibiscus and holly hocks, and many people may be surprised to know that it produces lovely flowers before fruiting. Although okra is traditional in Southern and Creole dishes, it is actually a prominent component of Indian cuisine, where it is known as Bhindi. While we think of okra as being green, there are actually varieties of other colors, including red, purple and white! Although you won't find those kinds in your local produce section, specialty and high end grocery stores, I've noticed, are carrying more heirloom varieties. And of course you can grow your own from seed.

Nutritionally, okra deserves much more recognition than it receives! It is a powerhouse for fiber, both soluble (good for cholesterol) and insoluble (good for colon and intestinal tract: prevents certain colorectal cancers). It is also high in potassium, folic acid, calcium, vitamins C and A, and contains only 25 calories per half cup. In fact, the "slimy" texture that is the turnoff of most people is actually really good for you digestive system and can help ease constipation. That's one hardworking seed pod!
Here are some sites I found, although since okra is not "in vogue" in the food world, there's not as much to be found on it. World's Healthiest Foods site search didn't bring up a single listing!

University of Illinois
www.ethnicindiancuisine.com
All About Okra
my okra and tomatoes recipe is as follows. This is actually my second batch of okra and tomatoes. The first time, I ate the whole pot in one sitting directly from the pan.

In a medium sauce pan, saute one small, diced onion in a olive oil (a few turns of the pan) over medium heat. When onion is tender, add 2 minced garlic cloves, and one SMALL diced green bell pepper (optional). Stir in 2 cups sliced okra, 2 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes, a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Let simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, or until okra is tender.

Eggplant is also sadly over looked, although it is becoming much more popular lately. Ironically, it is one of my favorite veggies, and it is also very prominent in India where it grew wild, although it as first cultivated in China. The link to the eggplant recipe I used is here. It was quite delicious! My eggplant, you're typical garden Black Beauty variety, was very nice: very tender and not at all stringy as some eggplant from the grovery store can be. It mashed up nicely. I would suggest waiting to consume (if you can stand it) about 30 minutes because it takes a bit for the flavor of the roasted garlic to come out. I would add a bit less roasted red pepper: the flavor almost overwhelmed the mild taste of eggplant, but I love roasted red pepper so it was all good with me. At the end, I added some leftover green peas from my daughter's lunch the day before. They added just the right pop of color and added layer of texture which this dish needed. I toasted some french bread slices in the oven with olive oil, sea salt and pepper, and the crusty/crunchiness was the PERFECT compliment to this spread. We consumed the entire bowl full in one sitting.

You can read more on eggplant here:
World's Healthiest Foods
University of Illinois