I typically slice the okra into ¾” pieces, dice some onion, saute both in some bacon grease in a cast iron skillet until the onion is transparent. Then I add diced canned tomatoes, simmer the whole mess briefly, about 10 minutes, and then serve over rice.
The leftovers are a great start to making gumbo the next day.
Here is a more formal recipe from Grandma’s Cookbook:
Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
Okra is not well-known outside the southern states, which is understandable in that it’s a hot-weather crop. Fried okra, of course, is immensely popular and has gained fame even in northern climes, but real okra lovers appreciate its flavor when it is stewed—that is, cooked slowly with a little liquid. Okra can be stewed alone or with other vegetables, most notably tomatoes. Ideally, you should have small pods of fresh okra and big, juicy tomatoes for this recipe to be at its best.
* 1 small sweet onion, chopped (about ¾ cup—sometimes it’s hard to find a small sweet onion, so use half a medium onion)
* 2 cups okra, rinsed, trimmed and sliced (see below)
* 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juice)
* 2 tablespoons bacon drippings (or 1 tablespoon bacon drippings and 1 tablespoon olive oil)
* ½ teaspoon salt
* freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a saucepan or sauté pan with a close-fitting lid, sauté the onion in the bacon drippings over medium heat until softened, not browned.
Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the okra and tomatoes. Add the salt, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pepper. Makes about 4 servings.
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