okra stew

We tried this recipe from Mark Bittman and we like it. It has the texture of gumbo but the flavors are completely different, since it's made with pork products, no shellfish, lots of tomato and carrots, and no roux or filé. if not for the white wine, it would be much cheaper than gumbo to make.

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Okra Stew

Yield 4 servings

Time About 2 1/2 to 3 hours

Mark Bittman
Ingredients

    * 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    * 8 pork ribs, or 4 country-style ribs or pork chops
    * 1/2 pound bacon or ham, cut into chunks
    * 2 small dried red chilies, optional
    * 1 large onion, chopped
    * 2 celery stalks, chopped
    * 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
    * 2 tablespoons minced garlic
    * 1 pound okra, trimmed and roughly chopped (frozen is fine)
    * Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    * 1/2 cup dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)
    * 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
    * Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish.

Method

    * 1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the pork, bacon and chilies, if using, and cook, stirring and turning the pork occasionally, until browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove everything from the pan with a slotted spoon or tongs, leaving the fat behind.
    * 2. Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and okra to the pan and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and stir for about a minute to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add the tomatoes and 1 cup water.
    * 3. Return the pork, bacon, and chiles to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover the pan and cook, checking every now and then, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Take the pork out of the pan, remove the meat from the bones, roughly chop it, and return it to the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve garnished with parsley, if you like.