Eggplant & Okra

Name: Eggplant & Okra
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant; 3 cloves garlic; 16 small-medium fresh okra; 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; Grated zest of 1 lemon; 12 leaves fresh basil

Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4

Vegan Gluten Free

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
3 cloves garlic
16 small-medium fresh okra
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
12 leaves fresh basil

Instructions

Trim the stem from the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into ½-inch thick rounds. Stacking two at a time, cut them into ½-inch cubes.

Thinly slice the garlic. Trim the stems from the okra. Then slice the okra into ¼-inch thick slices.

In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add half of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat. Stir in ⅛ teaspoon each of the salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook the eggplant, tossing often (it will seem dry at first), until tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the oil, garlic, eggplant, salt, black pepper, and red pepper.

In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the okra and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, tossing often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the eggplant to the skillet to quickly reheat. Grate in the lemon zest and stir in the basil. Serve hot or room temperature.

step by step

/01/

Trim the stem from the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into ½-inch thick rounds. Stacking two at a time, cut them into ½-inch cubes.

/02/

Thinly slice the garlic.

/03/

Trim the stems from the okra. Then slice the okra into ¼-inch thick slices.

/04/

In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add half of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat.

/05/

Stir in ⅛ teaspoon each of the salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook the eggplant, tossing often , until tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with the oil, garlic, eggplant, salt, black and red peppers.

/06/

In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the okra and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, tossing often, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.