Freshly smoked and charred okra with smoked salmon over a salad bed of beet greens and fresh oregano, easily homegrown garden to table recipe.
Okra
What a fun and delicious vegetable to grow in your summertime garden!
Did you know Okra can be eaten raw? Okra has often been compared to the delicate flavor of asparagus.
Nutritional properties of okra, though, far exceed our well known asparagus!
While okra is most known as an ingredient in Gumbo, probably because it contributes to thickening the broth, and is a healthier way to prepare a stew without thickeners.
So, maybe it’s time to rediscover okra!
This gently charred okra salad is sure to become a summertime favorite, especially when paired with a favorite smoked fish.
Smoked Okra
I like using a grill or a hibachi to get the smoke and char on the okra.
You can also use a stovetop griddles or a grate over the burner fire, will get the char.
Occasionally I add fresh sprigs of oregano to the fire, or placed on a stovetop grate, then placing the okra on top will impart the fresh oregano flavor into the okra while it softens in the heat.
Smoked Salmon and Okra Salad
In my opinion, smoked salmon, or any favorite smoked fish, pairs beautifully with the lightly cooked okra.
However, you can swap it for other proteins you prefer.
I love the texture and flavors of the two together, for making an inviting summer salad.
The use of fresh herbs and greens, especially from a garden or farmers market, will make for a very proud salad!
Growing your own herbs, even if only in pots on a deck, or supporting a local farmers market are what will bring extra pride to this salad.
How To Make Smoked Okra and Salmon Salad
- First you will want to wash the beet greens and oregano and set aside.
- Second, lengthwise, cuts in the way of a long sliver from the topside of each okra, exposing the seeds, readies the okra.
- Next, prepare a hibachi, grill or a grate over the fire of a stovetop burner. Place the oregano and okra on top to smoke, char or simply lightly cook the okra, imparting flavors from the fresh herbs.
- Last, twist each long slice of smoked salmon into a long cylinder. On a serving plate, lay the beet greens, with fresh oregano leaves, top with one long, twisted smoked salmon and one roasted okra. Drizzle the lime and olive oil dressing and finish with coarse salt.
Salads To Love
While we often think of salads as a summertime food, especially because home gardens and farmers markets provide abundance for salads, they are great year round.
Since I have a son living in California, a daughter living in Palm Beach and I myself lived in Brazil for several years, salads are loved everywhere!
For this reason, I wanted to share with you several of my favorite salads.
- Fresh Lump Crab Salsa Salad With Tomatoes and Peppers – A beautiful arrangement of summer gardens and sea treasures, tucked inside a crab shell to serve.
- Beet Endive Salad with Fig Dressing – The very same recipe I created for the finale of The Great American Recipe on PBS.
- Grilled Shrimp Salad – and no, there is no mayo in this gorgeous salad of grilled shrimp and garden fresh veggies!
- Heirloom Lemon Cucumber Salad – a whimsical cucumber that looks just like a lemon, makes for a refreshing salad when these are in season.
Equipment Needed
- Grill, or Indoor Japanese Hibachi (the one I love is linked below)
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Measuring spoons
- Small bowl
- Small whisk or fork
Ingredients Needed
- Okra
- Smoked salmon
- Beet greens
- Fresh oregano
- Lime
- Olive oil, garlic infused
- Garlic
- Coarse salt
Smoked Okra and Salmon Salad
Equipment
- Small Hibachi or grill
Ingredients
- 4 Okra
- 4 slices Pepper smoked salmon
- 1 cup Beet greens
- 4 Fresh oregano stalks
- 1 tbsp Lime juice and zest
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Garlic clove
- Coarse salt – to taste
Instructions
- Whisk the olive oil, lime juice with zest and crushed garlic, in a small cup and set aside.
- Wash the beet greens and oregano, pat dry and set aside.
- Lengthwise, cut a long sliver from the topside of each okra, exposing the seeds. Place on a hibachi, grill or on a stovetop griddle and roast quickly while turning. Remove. No longer than 2-minutes total.
- Twist each long slice of smoked salmon into a long cylinder.
- On each serving plate, lay the beet greens, with fresh oregano leaves. On top of the greens, place one long, twisted smoked salmon and two halves of roasted okra. Whisk again, the olive oil mixture and drizzle across each prepared salad. Sprinkle coarse salt and serve.
Video
Notes
- Okra can be eaten raw so there is no need to char them for long, simply to impart the smoke flavor.
- Beet greens are often purchased with beetroots. Simply cut the tops, pick the most delicate, wash and use these in this salad for a lovely crisp flavor and texture.
- If using a hibachi or grill, place some fresh oregano leaves on top the fire before adding the okra. It will impart more herb flavor to the okra.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
