Okra, that seasonal summer vegetable that many love to hate. But, cooked properly it is definitely worth eating. While the origin of okra is often disputed, it grows well in a wide variety of warm climates. It is adaptable to both humid & dry conditions and is largely unaffected by pests and disease.
Okra is a member of the Mallow family, related to cotton, hibiscus and hollyhocks. An upright plant with hibiscus-like flowers gives okra an ornamental value as well.
Probably the most unusual feature that this vegetable has is the gummy, gelatinous substance released from its pods when cooked. The thickening agent makes it a popular ingredient in gumbos and soups. But, there’s much more to okra than soups and stews. Roasting at a high temperature will turn it into crispy, flavorful okra fries.
Since it pairs well with most any meat or seafood, I decided to make some braised beef short ribs with stir-fried okra and Jasmine rice.
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Braised Beef with Stir-Fried Okra
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Instructions
Short Ribs
Preheat oven to 300 F. In a Dutch oven, place all short rib ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover & place in oven for at least 1 1/2 hours or until meat is VERY tender. Stir periodically, adding more water if needed. If preferred, skim off excess oil before serving.
Okra
In a large saucepan, add oil; when oil is hot add okra & stir-fry for about 8-10 minutes. Okra should be tender but NOT mushy.
If you are not accustomed to using chutneys it is well worth revisiting the idea. Chutney is similar to salsa or a sweet ‘relish’. The perfect balance of sweet, sour and spicy are critical elements for most chutneys. The sweetness coming from fresh or dried fruits, the sour element from vinegar, lemon or lime and the spiciness from a variety of whole spices.
There is no right or wrong recipe, just a preferred flavor or two. They can be cooked or fresh and are made from a wide variety of ingredient combinations of fruits and/ or vegetables and spices. Ground spices tend to make chutney cloudy so it is best to use whole ones.
In the majority of chutney recipes one ingredient tends to dominate the flavor. The sweet and sour ones work well with beef, pork and chicken, whereas sweeter versions are great on cheese and crackers, bagels and toast.
I have made numerous chutneys over the years. Some were served with warm Brie cheese but very often I’ve used mango chutney when cooking pork. This particular recipe can be made with either purchased chutney or just make a recipe of your own. It creates a unique flavor along with nice tender ribs.
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Mango Chutney Country Style Ribs
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Instructions
Mango Chutney
In a saucepan, combine honey & vinegar, Bring to a boil & simmer until honey dissolves. Add remaining ingredients & simmer, uncovered until mixture becomes slightly thickened. Pour into a glass dish & set aside until needed. Refrigerate any remaining chutney that you don't use in making ribs.
Ribs / Sauce
In a saucepan, Brown ribs & set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Add all 'sauce' ingredients to saucepan except for the 1 fresh mango. Bring to a boil, cooking for about 15 minutes, gently mashing tomatoes with a fork, until sauce is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups.
Preheat oven to 300 F. Place ribs in a baking dish; pour sauce over ribs, cover & bake for about 1-1 1/2 hours until ribs are very tender. Serve with sauce & top with remaining diced fresh mango.
The humble pot pie was once the height of culinary style. During the Elizabethan era, these savory pastries — decorated with flowers, fancy designs, etc. were elaborate assertions of the chef’s skill in the royal households of France and England. Among the lower classes, pot pie were popular because the addition of a crust helped feed another mouth or two, while individual pastries, empanadas and perogies were well suited for sale by street vendors as portable meals.
Fortunately, the resurgence in so called ‘retro’ foods has brought pot pies back to the table. There is no reason why they shouldn’t do just as well in the 21st century. To some, chicken pot pie is a staple comfort food. The recipes mix of meat and vegetables in a chicken broth seasoned with herbs, produces a spectrum of flavors that’s like no other.
The trick is getting all the ingredients to the right degree of doneness at the same time. It may be these timing issues that led to the abandonment of the homemade pot pie in favor of the frozen variety. One thing for sure, is that they are definitely worth the time and effort. It makes good sense to make a big recipe, freeze them unbaked (if you choose) and there ready when you need them.
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Individual Chicken Pot Pie
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Ingredients
Chicken Filling
- 2 Tbsp oil, divided
- 907 grams chicken thighs, boneless/skinless, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 250 grams mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp EACH dried thyme & summer savory
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 10 Tbsp flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups peas, frozen
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, old fashioned, grainy
Ingredients
Chicken Filling
- 2 Tbsp oil, divided
- 907 grams chicken thighs, boneless/skinless, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 250 grams mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 medium celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp EACH dried thyme & summer savory
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 10 Tbsp flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups peas, frozen
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, old fashioned, grainy
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Instructions
Filling
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Add chicken, season with 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink on the outside but not dry, 4-6 minutes. Remove from skillet & set aside.
Decrease heat & add remaining oil. When oil is hot, add onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, remaining 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, dried thyme & savory; stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add margarine & melt.
Stir in the flour & cook for 1-2 minutes; gradually stirring in chicken broth & milk. Bring to a simmer, continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in peas, thyme, mustard & reserved chicken. Cover & set aside while preparing pastry.
Pastry
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. With a pastry blender, cut in white & yellow Crisco. In a measuring cup, place the egg & vinegar; add enough cold water to make 1 cup & whisk together. Make a well in flour; pour in all of the liquid & combine.
Roll out pastry. For 6 individual pies, prepared in mini foil pot pie pans, cut 6 - 8" (20 cm) circles for the bottom shells & 6 - 5 1/2" (14 cm) circles for the tops. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place pastry lined pans on a baking sheet & divide chicken filling among them. Moisten edges with milk or water; place pastry circles on top, crimping edges with a fork. Whisk together 1 egg & 1 Tbsp water; brush tops of pot pies with egg wash. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes
- This amount of pastry will actually make enough for a double recipe of filling or just some extra for another time. If wrapped tightly it will freezes well.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CANADA!
Can you believe it, July 1 has rolled around already. Where does the time go? Anyway it’s Canada’s 149th birthday so let the celebrations begin. Summer entertaining is all about laid-back get-together’s with family and friends and of course, great food.
Along with the parades, concerts, carnivals, festivals and firework displays, food is always a big part of it all. I’m sure there will be a great number of succulent ribs being served. Brion and I don’t eat a ton of ribs but we do really enjoy them when we do. For my own little ‘rib fest’ today I decided to do some ‘Honey-Garlic Glazed Ribs’.
Of course, there are many trains of thought when it comes to what makes the best and most tender ribs. Some folks like to par boil or bake somewhat prior to barbecuing, others use a dry rub or marinate and some just choose to barbecue using their favorite sauce glaze. Whatever works for you is what counts.
In this recipe you can either simmer for 45 minutes on top the stove or bake slowly (at 250 F. for 2-3 hrs.) in the oven first. I find either way it gets rid of a lot of the fat content as well as helping to make them tender. After that the ribs are coated with the sauce (which contains baking soda as a tenderizer). At this point you can either bake the ribs at 350 F. or wrap them in foil and place on the barbecue. However you choose to make them, I think you will find them sticky but good!
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Honey-Garlic Glazed Ribs
Cooking method saves on barbecuing time without sacrificing tenderness.
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Instructions
Remove silver lining from the back of the slab of ribs. Cut across the bones to form 'riblets, then into 3-4 ribs per portion.
Place ribs in a large stockpot & cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil, cover & SIMMER for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a LARGE bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic & brown sugar. Stir until honey & sugar are completely dissolved, then stir in baking soda. The mixture will begin to foam. Transfer ribs to the bowl & turn to coat.
Preheat oven to 350 F. On a large piece of foil, arrange the ribs meaty side up; pour excess sauce over all & sprinkle with garlic powder. Fold the sides of the foil over the ribs & seal tightly on all sides. Place ribs on a baking sheet & bake for 30 minutes or until ribs are very tender.
Recipe Notes
- Ribs can be par boiled or baked the day before & refrigerated until ready to bake or barbecue.
