It goes without saying, that if you put a basket of okra in front of us, we are going to make something – anything! We love okra anyway you fix it. But of all the ways to prepare it, frying must top the list. Jason Smith of Cog Hill Farm shared this recipe for okra pancakes from his longtime friend, and Southern icon, Chef Scott Peacock. Needless to say, after one bite, this now ranks at the top.
- 1/2 cup white cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cups thinly sliced okra
- 1 inch of oil for frying
In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the baking powder. Whisk to combine. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg and 1/2 cup water. Stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine the onion and okra. Season with remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Toss to combine, and fold into the batter.
In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1/2 to 1 inch of oil. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, spoon the batter by heaping teaspoons into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to remove from oil. Drain on crumpled paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.
Recipe submitted by Jason Smith, via Chef Scott Peacock
Cog Hill Farm, Selma, AL
