Pinterest Wednesday

For the second week of Pinterest Wednesday, I was debating between Masters Augusta egg salad and fried okra. I surprised even myself by choosing the okra. I don't like okra. At all. However, I do like growing okra. It is a beautiful garden plant and it just so happens I had some ripe okra in the garden.

In fact, it was over-ripe because I don't like to actually eat okra. I just leave it alone and let it grow and grow and grow. This isn't a good thing for okra because the larger pods become tough and woody. Frying seemed to help it, though. Frying seems to make everything taste better.

Anyway, this week's recipe comes to us from Syrup & Biscuits, via Pinterest. I also found a good recipe from Southern Living. I've tweaked the recipes a bit by adding crumbled bacon and Tabasco sauce.

Fried Okra

1/2 lb. fresh okra
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 strips crispy bacon, crumbled, reserve bacon drippings
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2-3 drops Tabasco sauce (or more, if you like it spicy)
Vegetable oil
1/8 cup bacon drippings
1. Cut off and discard tip and stem ends from okra; cut okra into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices. Stir into buttermilk; cover and chill 45 minutes.

2. Combine cornmeal and next 5 ingredients in a bowl.

3. After 45 minutes, drain okra and discard buttermilk.

4. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a dutch oven or cast-iron skillet; add bacon drippings, and heat to 375°.

5. While oil is heating, toss okra with cornmeal mixture.

6. When oil reaches a temperature of 375°, fry okra in batches for four minutes or until golden brown.

7. Drain on paper towels.

5. Serve immediately. We enjoyed ours with a bottle of white wine from Belle Meade Plantation, located near Nashville, TN, which seemed completely appropriate for this quintessential southern dish.