Okra Cornmeal Fritters
Ingredients
4 bacon slices, thinly sliced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1⁄2 pound fresh okra, trimmed and chopped
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
Oil for frying
Instructions
1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving fat in skillet. Add onion and okra to fat in skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bacon.
2. Whisk egg in a medium bowl, then whisk in buttermilk, cornmeal, sugar, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Stir in okra mixture.
3. Wipe skillet clean. Add enough oil to skillet to measure 1⁄4 inch and heat over medium heat until it shimmers. Cook rounded tablespoons of batter (6 to 7 fritters per batch), turning once, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately.
Comments
Having never had okra before, I turned to Epicurious.com for inspiration. I notice I have a habit of frying foods I’m unsure of. I found these fritters to be delicious. The okra tastes sort of like a bell pepper, but not quite. I could definitely taste them in the fritter and enjoyed them quite a bit. We did have quite a bit of debate regarding whether this should be filed as a Vegetable or a Bread and Grain. Breads and Grains won.
Shown here with Grilled Flank Steak with Shallot and Red Wine Sauce.
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