Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sliced Pork Tenderloin Served On A Bed Of Organic Okra Gumbo

A few weeks ago I ventured to the outskirts of town to a local organic farm and bought some lovely organic okra, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapenos. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.... make okra gumbo. It's one of our favorite comfort foods although I only tend to make it during summer months into the fall. It's really a meal all in itself, but I loved adding the sliced pork tenderloin as a topping.



Now, I tend to make my okra gumbo quite thick but you're welcome to adjust the recipe to suit your own taste. Each to his own, right? So, here's the recipe:



Organic Okra Gumbo:

Ingredients:

20 - 30 fresh okra (about 1 pound), sliced 1/2" thick

2 slices of jalapeno bacon, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped (smallish)

1 red bell pepper, chopped (smallish)

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped(smallish)

4 large cloves of garlic, crushed

2-3 jalapenos, seeded & deveined, finely chopped


3 to 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)

2-1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth

3 to 5 splashes of Tabasco sauce

3 to 5 splashes of Worcesteshire sauce

1/2 cup red wine

salt and pepper, to taste

parsley, chopped, for garnish


Directions:

1. Add bacon to preheated deep cast iron skillet. When bacon is about halfway cooked, add the onion, bell peppers, jalapenos, then garlic. Saute for a few minutes or until onions are just turning transparent.


2. Add the chopped okra to the pan and saute for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, Tabasco, Worcesteshire sauce, red wine, and bring mixture to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Serve while steaming hot.

This was extremely tasty with the sliced pork tenderloin served on top, garnished with a little parsley. It's a new winner at our house!