Test Kitchen's Recipe Box
• Simple Stir-Fried Okra
• Okra Rellenos
• Fried Okra Salad
• Grilled Okra and Tomato Skewers
• Pickled Okra-Ham Rolls
• Okra and Tomatoes
• Okra Creole

Appetizing Okra
Okra is a great addition to a variety of dishes, and it's in season now. It's a staple in coastal South Carolina dishes as well as in gumbos from Louisiana. But this is one vegetable whose viscous texture is changed by grilling, frying, or pickling. Try Simple Stir-Fried Okra, for example, for a non-slimy, low-fat, and delicious preparation. Mustard seed, cumin, and crushed red pepper lend an irresistibly smoky, spicy flavor. And okra with Southwest flair--such as in Okra Rellenos--is surprisingly delicious. Try this variation on the classic Chile Rellenos, and you'll see what we mean. But don't stop there, give these others a try too.

"From Our Kitchen" is from the August 2007 issue of Southern Living.