For my latest kitchen endeavor, I decided it was time to unthaw okra left behind by the parents on their last visit. Dad has been flexing his green thumb lately and I get the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of his labor. Cream corn, okra, limas and a bounty of other veggies have made their way out of his South Georgia garden and into my freezer.
Living with a health conscious individual means the non existence of fried food in our diet. This isn’t to say I don’t indulge in the crispy side of life when at a restaurant from time to time but when cooking I have never officially fried. In addition to the never-have-I-ever‘s comes the embarrassing admittance that I, a self proclaimed southern lady, has never ate nor dealt with okra! After months of begging from The Boyfriend, I decided to tackle this southern fried staple and officially seal my southern status.
Of course I relied on Paula Deen to navigate me through this slimy new world with southern grace. Below is her recipe that was a hit in my house. Try it for yourself and tweet me your thoughts @theprettypeach!
XO
Ingredients
6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Paula Deen’s House Seasoning****
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds sliced okra
1/2 cup buttermilk

On medium to high heat, warm oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. Have enough oil in the pan to almost (but not fully) cover the sliced pieces of okra.
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, sifted flour, House Seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well.

Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.)

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately..

****Paula Deen’s House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months
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