First you start with browning some bacon, then you add the holy trinity—onions, bell pepper, and celery, then the tomatoes, okra and spices. Everything is cooked together until tender and almost falling apart. Okra is a summer vegetable but you can get frozen okra all year round which is perfectly fine stewed like this. If you don’t have access to okra at all, you can prepare green beans in a similar manner (see recipe). Do you have a favorite summer okra dish? Please let us know about it in the comments. I love okra and am always looking for ways to cook with it. Obviously we believe this dish is best with bacon, but if you don’t eat bacon or want to make a vegetarian dish, leave it out and use a tablespoon or two of olive oil instead. Cook over medium high heat until onions, celery, and bell peppers are lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
