I know, the last thing you want to do is turn on the stupid oven in July, but hear me out here. The garlic smells that will emanate from your oven will perfume your home and it'll smell so good you won't even notice the heat. Plus it's only for 14-15 minutes, so just shove the pan of garlic roasted okra in the oven and scoot over to the cooler side of the house/room.
Okra is definitely a Southern thing by way of Africa, but it's becoming more well-known around the country thanks to Southern states being tourist destinations, and the internet spreading recipes around the globe. It's still a little misunderstood, even by people who grow it, know it, and love it. For example...
Can You Eat the Tops of Okra?
As I was lifting a roasted okra pod to my mouth, I wondered, should I eat the top of this okra?! The short answer is yes, you can eat it. It's safe and it won't kill you. But texture-wise, do you want to? Most people don't, but again, you can. Food Blogga recommends slicing the tops off of each okra pod if you're using okra in stir fries and gumbos, but to keep it whole if frying (or roasting, like we will be doing here).
The stem part is tougher and more fibrous, so if you want to try the top, select a smaller pod. Larger okra is tougher and less desirable to eat. You may find yourself eating some okra tops in this recipe, and biting off the ends on others. There's no wrong way!
Other Facts About Okra
- Okra is a superfood, like dragonfruit, pomegranate, and spirulina. It has lots of vitamins A, C, and K, plus it's high in fiber, calcium, and magnesium.
- It's very low in calories, but the fiber fills you up.
- Okra originated in along the Nile River in Ethiopia in the 12th century.
- You can eat the entire pod and its seeds.
- The flowers are very pretty!
- Do not wash okra ahead of time.
- Use okra in less than 4 days after it's picked, or the sooner the better.
- The bigger the okra, the tougher it is to eat. Choose medium to small okra pods.
Garlic Roasted Okra
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra
- ¼ cup garlic infused olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the okra in the oil, then spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle any remaining oil in the bowl over the okra.
- Bake for 7 minutes, then flip with a spatula, and bake for 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and serve hot.
Where to Find Infused Garlic Olive Oil
I came by my garlic olive oil from The Crescent Olive, our local olive oil paradise, with dozens and dozens of varities of infused olive oil and balsamic vinegars. When it comes to necessities from the olive oil shop, I was just keeping basil olive oil on hand, but since March I've found plenty of ways to enjoy garlic olive oil and will be re-stocking up on it very soon. It's safe to say I'll likely find another need-to-have while there too!
If you don't have a local olive oil store, or don't want to leave the house, try infusing your own garlic olive oil. It doesn't take much more effort than lightly heating and pouring the oil into a bottle.
