Roasted Okra

Roasted Okra (not a fancy pants recipe but more of a process)

Ingredients:
Fresh Okra
Olive Oil
Salt
Cracked black pepper
OR whatever your preferred seasonings are . . .

Tools:
oven
cookie sheet
non-stick foil
tongs
spatula/egg turner
hot pads for your hands

Well, I like Okra, but I don't like to fry in a house with a 1930's kitchen without an exhaust fan, so I roast my Okra. (Yes, "Okra" with a capital "O" because I respect and love my Okra).

Here's what I do:
- Choose my Okra carefully at the Farmer's Market, usually getting that smallish Okra about the size of my ring finger or little finger. And, I get the green velvet Okra - yes, I like my Okra fuzzy. I take it home and introduce it to my kitchen.

- Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees; line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil; tear off a piece of foil for a cover for the cookie sheet.

- Put the Okra in a large mixing bowl (maybe with other vegetables such as potatoes and red bell peppers just so it won't get lonely) and drizzle it with oil and season to taste. Toss it all with your hands to get everything evenly covered. Wash your hands.

- Dump the Okra onto the foil lined cookie sheet and spread everything out until it's only one layer. Cover tightly with the other sheet of foil. Place in oven and set timer for 20 minutes.

- When the timer goes off, take the covered pan out of the oven and shut the oven door. Remove the top foil lid (you are through with this sheet of foil unless you know there is a good chance the person you will be eating with will be late coming home to eat - then you will need it later). Use your tongs to turn over every Okra ( or vegetable) piece on the pan. Put the pan back in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes.

- At 12 minutes, because you can't wait for 15 and you don't want to look at your timer any more, take the pan out of the oven, turn the oven off, and serve your Okra immediately. Unless your dining partner is late, and then you will cover it with that other piece of foil, and eat it after it gets slightly soggy and coolish - but it will be tasty. Yum.