Grilled Okra

GrilledOkra
Originally uploaded by Food Fanatic

I posted this photo on August 13, 2005 and I've never had okra any different way since then. I adore this stuff and find myself wondering when my farmer is going to give me some this year. It's one of my favorite snacks.

My adorable friend, Kathy Richardson, who has left her job as our school principal to become the Queen of Math and Science at Winthrop University, just sent me an email asking me how to make it. She snagged a few one day as I was taking them to a class dinner.

So here's what you do:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Clean your okra and cut off the tough knobs at the ends. Or not. Those ends do make handy-dandy handles for when you are eating them.

Roll the okra in olive oil and lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. I like to cook mine in this cast iron grill pan so that I get those nice grill marks. I'll roll them around periodically on the pan that's been heated NASA hot on top of the stove, and then finish them off in the oven.

But you can put them right into the oven on a cookie sheet or grill pan.

And basically just roast them in there until they are charring and have softened.

Take them out, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt, and munch away!