Produce Briefs...
Spring Onions
Spring onions are most often utilized raw. The whole onion can be flash blanched and grilled, which brings out more the robust and sweet elements of the onions, and makes them a bolder pair for fish and meats
Iceberg Lettuce
It is the only lettuce type that does not occur in red form as well as green. Iceberg is the given name to dozens of cultivars of lettuce, all of which are adapted to specific planting regions and time periods.
Seasons/Availability
Okra is available year round with a peak season during the summer months.
Current Facts
Green Okra is a member of the mallow family along with cotton, cocoa and hibiscus. The okra plant produces broad oak-shaped leaves with bold yellow and white hibiscus-like blossoms. The fruits sprout in vertical patterns from the plant's stems. The sign of a plant flowering indicates fruits will develop quickly within 3-5 days. Young fruits must be harvested daily as the fruits are known to grow so fast you can almost see them growing in front of your eyes. One plant can produce up to 100 okra. Okra left on the stem too long will become tough and essentially unfit for use. Okra is grown for fresh-eating but it also has many other purposes. Okra plants are grown commercially for pickling and canning alone or as a canned soup ingredient, while the seeds are also harvested for making oil and in some cultures are ground and used as a coffee substitute or supplement.
Description/Taste
Green okra has a torpedo-shaped pod ranging in lengths of five to six inches when harvested mature. The pods are pale lime to lime green in color, their exterior has furrowed lengthwise grooves. The skin can often be fuzzy to prickly, which can cause an allergic reaction to sensitive skin. The flesh bears a tender spongy membrane with many small white seeds. Okra is known less for its lean flavor and more for its sticky sap that creates the flesh's gelatinous texture.
Applications
With okra, harvesting young tender fruits and knowledge of how to cook it are two key ingredients. Okra is historically not eaten alone, rather paired in a multitude of recipes alongside ingredients with bold, complex flavors and varying textures. Okra is most often used as a soup or stew ingredient, though its textures and flavors are truly enhanced when fried and grilled. Okra pairs well with basil, bacon, beet greens, butter, cream, garlic, ham, lemon, kale, onions, parsley, olive oil, pickled vegetables, chile peppers and peppercorns, paprika, tomatoes and turnips.
Geography/History
Okra is native to what is referred to as the Abyssinian center of origin of cultivated plants. This region includes present-day Ethiopia and the mountainous area of Eritrea. Historically, there was little contact with this region, thus there limited and speculative documented evidence about its ancient agricultural relevance or how it was distributed throughout Africa. It was during the 12th Century that okra was transported to Arabia from Egypt via the Red Sea. It was then adapted throughout the Mediterranean and eastward in Asia. Okra reached the New World via the triangular trade route, arriving in Brazil in the 17th Century from Africa. French colonists brought the first okra seeds to America in Louisiana, a precursor to okra establishing itself as a predominant ingredient in Southern American cooking. Okra is a warm-season crop, requires full sun and can even tolerate little rain or irrigation. Like many crops, okra prefers to be planted alongside specific plants. Companion plants include basil, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, and southern peas.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| San Diego Culinary Institute Inc. | La Mesa CA | 619-644-2100 |
| The Craftsman New American Tavern | Encinitas CA | 760-415-2380 |
| The Pearl Hotel | San Diego CA | 877-732-7573 |
| Alchemy Restaurant | San Diego CA | 619-255-0616 |
| Barleymash | San Diego CA | 619-276-6700 x304 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Okra. One
is easiest, three is harder.| My Recipes |
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Fried Okra Tacos |
| My Recipes |
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Peppery Grilled Okra with Lemon Basil Dipping Sauce |
Recently Spotted
People have spotted Okra using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Spotting allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
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???? ?? ??????? Near Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan About 18 days ago Spotter's comments : I spotted Green Okra at ???? ?? ???????! Fresh green okra is available in the Japanese supermarket in small packages. Parkson Supermarket Near Shanghai, Shanghai, China About 34 days ago Spotter's comments : Fresh Okra is available at Parkson' s Supermarket. Staff says its grown in Japan. morrisons Near Dudley, United Kingdom About 45 days ago Spotter's comments : on the ice bed Diamond Belle Saloon New Mexico, United States About 48 days ago Spotter's comments : Gumbo with okra, yum! Ocado Yorkshire Near Bradford, United Kingdom About 77 days ago Morrisons Bradford Near Pudsey, United Kingdom About 78 days ago Tesco Bradford Near Bradford, United Kingdom About 102 days ago |
