Quite a few years ago, I was at a girlfriend’s home for dinner, and for someone who doesn’t really love cooking, she put out an impressive spread of hors d’oeuvres. Among those hors d’oeuvres were roasted okra. I was a bit hesitant at first. I’d only had okra in Creole dishes, and there is this dog slobber slime that I associate with it.
Well I’m glad I tried them! Not only did I immediately become addicted to roast okra, I found out that these were made from frozen okra! Impressive. So I had to make them myself. They’re so easy, and only take a little bit of time for the thawing process. Other than that, all you’ll need is an oven.
Roasted Okra
1 or 2 1-pound packages frozen whole okra
Olive oil
Salt or seasoning salt
Starting the day before, thaw the bag(s) of frozen okra in the refrigerator overnight.
The next morning, place the okra in a large colander. Give them a little rinse, then let them drain for at least 4 hours.
Place the okra on paper towels and let them “dry” up. There should be very little “wetness” left to them.
Preheat the oven to a roast position, or to at least 400 degrees Farenheit. Place the okra in a large roasting pan or jelly roll pan, making sure there’s not too much overlap. Drizzle on olive oil, and season with salt or your favorite seasoning salt. I used a favorite spice blend that my girlfriend Gabriella brings me from Trader Joe’s.
Roast the okra for about 20-25 minutes, tossing them once during the process. They should be roasted on all sides.
Cook longer if there’s not sufficient browning. The roasting time depends on how full of water they are. Turn out the okra onto a serving platter.
You might want to add a fun coarse salt to them as well, but taste them first to test the saltiness.
I made a little Sriracha mayo for dipping, but they’re wonderful just by themselves.
Be careful. They seriously are addicting!
And not slimy.