Burgundy Okra...What I Will Grow Again Next Year

 

 

Chinese Red Asparagus Beans with Burgundy Okra

 

The plants grow 4-5 feet tall 

I grow vegetables to eat!  Well, duh.  What I means is that I grow for flavor, but I also grow for texture, productivity, and disease resistance. And, as a botanical artist, I grow for beauty.  I acquired a liking for okra when I moved to the deeper south decades ago.  Yes, fried okra is tasty (and slimy sometimes), but I like okra for its mild taste, for thickening soups, stews, and pasta sauce, and for the appearance of the sliced pods in my bowl. But is is a also a beautiful plant, with it's deep red stems and leaf veins, large leaves, light maroon pods, and stunning creamy yellow flowers.  Did you know it is a member of the hibiscus family?

                                                                        Just beautiful!

Planting okra is easy. It likes warm soil and thrives in hot weather.  When the pods begin to form, make sure to harvest regularly. Long pods (over 3 inches) are often too woody and fibrous to eat.

What to do with okra?

I am happily growing red burgundy okra from Pinetree Garden Seeds (red okra) and I am delighted with it.  It is an attractive plant, with red-veined leaves and red pods.  Here it is growing in a pot, it is so ornamental:

It seems to be fairly easy to grow, given enough sun and space.  The pods stay tender 

even when they get a little larger than typical.  So, how to cook it?  Okra is a star in soups 

and stews, as it acts as a natural thickener.  People sometimes complain about fried okra, 

which can get a bit...er...slimy, but it is great in tomato-based dishes.

So, I sautéed garden onions (1 large, diced), garlic (2 cloves, sliced), some quartered mushrooms

(1cup), and bell peppers (1, in chunks) in olive oil (2 T).  Then I  added chopped fresh basil and 

rosemary,  some dried marjoram, the okra (2 cups, sliced into 1 inch pieces) and a quart of crushed 

tomatoes.  I let it simmer for a half hour, then served it over polenta.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

Total yum!

Burgundy Okra

Okra photos by the author, use by permission only.

Oh, my, this is one plant I will definitely grow next year.  I ordered burgundy okra seeds from Pinetree Garden Seeds (www.superseeds.com) last winter.  I really like okra, but have not grown it in a few years,  Well, this okra is not only beautiful, but the pods are very tasty.  It is easy to grow, as long as the huge plants get sufficient water (it was a dry summer).  I had one plant grow over 5 feet tall!  The deep red stems, red-veined green leaves, red fruit and absolutely gorgeous flowers make it a natural in the back of the flower border, too!  Did you know that okra is a member of the hibiscus family, as is cotton?

Have you been getting your seed catalogs? Planting season will be here soon!
Happy gardening!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra