Smoke Da Okra

In the deep and dirty South, okra is kind of a staple delicacy. Every KFC and fried food hashery has some form or another - usually fried and served with ketchup or gravy. This was the first time I tried what I've been told is the best way to eat them this summer.

Rinse the okra in a colander and sprinkle with olive oil, seasoned salt, fresh black pepper, and about a tablespoon of finely chopped garlic. Toss it all together and stack side by side onto skewers on grill for just a few minutes on each side.


Pork on the grill is kind of self-explanatory. Dust it with your best seasonings and no sauce - I use a combination of dry poultry rub and beef rub because pork seems to be somewhere in the middle. Marinades and sauces cause unnecessary char and the grill to become ablaze, at least from my personal experiences.

Another trick to getting tender pork by getting the grill really hot. Sear both sides of the meat while the grill is scalding, turn it down and add the skewers of okra cooking an additional 10 minutes or so, all together, turning skewers and meat only once.

To finish a well-rounded and healthy meal, I added a can of Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies) to the complimentary amount of water needed for preparation with two small yellow rice packages. See below for Raspberry Chipotle Sauce recipe.





Just down the street from my house is Super King - a giant, Armenian-run grocery store that has a surplus of fresh produce and deli options at phenomenally low prices. For instance, this entire meal cost $14 and provided plenty - 4 chops, 4 ribs, 6 skewers, rice, and the following recipe. Besides the constant mobs of irate Armenians, this market (that also sells Hookahs) has a drawback in comparison to your local Ralph's or Von's: no ready-made, USA-label, packaged and prepared foods like Campbell's soup, Easy-Mac, or any kind of raspberry chipotle sauce. So I made my own.

Raspberry Walnut Chipotle Sauce:

In a small chopper, add 1/2 small white onion, 1 clove of garlic, 2 small chipotle or like peppers, and 1/4 c. walnuts, and chop. If you don't have one, they're pretty easy to find at a thrift store and worth the $3 for saving man power and your hand muscles. If not, grab a knife.

Toss chopped goods in a small but thick saucepan with about a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook on medium-high heat until onions are caramelized. Add one pint of raspberries and cook until soft - about 3 minutes. Then, add 2 Tbsp. vinegar, 1/4 c. sugar, and a scoop of apricot preserves (optional - because I had it).

Turn heat to a low simmer and cook down for about 10 more minutes. Let cool before serving. Also great to serve with cream cheese and crackers or with other meats. Keep refrigerated.