Meme’s Fried Okra
Dede always grew okra, and I usually have a few plants every summer. Once, I grew them in container boxes on the roof of my apartment in New Jersey, framed by the Manhattan skyline. Guests were astonished at the sight when we would go out on the deck. The plants are beautiful, sometimes growing to five feet tall with pale yellow blossoms similar to hibiscus. When I was working in France for Anne Willan, we once needed okra for a recipe test. It was nowhere to be found in the local markets, so we ordered a case from Rungis, the French wholesale market on the outskirts of Paris, only to use less than a pound! The gumbo was a disappointment, falling short of Anne’s strict standards. Since we had almost a full case to use, I made this fried okra, which Anne called “popcorn fried okra.” It was a huge hit. I can pretty much guarantee that this was the only time in history fried okra was enjoyed as a snack with apéritifs before dinner. I called Meme every week to tell her about my work and what I had learned. When I told her about the “popcorn fried okra,” she giggled like a schoolgirl.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Line a plate with paper towels and set by the cooktop. Combine the okra and buttermilk in a bowl. Combine the cornmeal and flour in a second bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the okra from the liquid, letting the excess buttermilk run back into the bowl. Place the okra in the flour mixture and toss to coat.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F on deep-fat thermometer. (You can also test the heat by sprinkling a bit of flour into the hot oil to see whether it bubbles.) When the oil is hot, add a large spoonful of okra to the skillet. (Don’t add too much at once or the oil will cool down and the okra won’t cook properly.)
Step 3
Cook until brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked okra to the prepared plate. Repeat with the remaining okra. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
deep frying
Step 4
Frying can be messy, but not if you are prepared. Set up a frying center in the kitchen (chefs call it a station) that lets you easily move from marinating the fish to the dry ingredients to the hot oil. Line a plate or baking sheet with paper towels and place it by the pot to receive the fried fish, a clean and efficient system. Only dredge what you can fry at a time: don’t coat all the fish and then start frying; the coating will become dense and gummy.
