“Chef-style” simply means taking a bit more care to maintain the integrity of the ingredients, cooking them separately and marrying them together at the end. This recipe was inspired by a recipe in Chef John Besh’s My New Orleans: The Cookbook. Make sure the carrot is very finely grated—I use a microplane—so it just melts away, leaving a hint of sweetness.
1 pound okra, stem ends trimmed
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (see Cooking Tip)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 carrot, very finely grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Cooked rice, for serving
Make an ice-water bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Line a plate with paper towels. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the okra and return to a boil. Cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain the okra well in a colander, then set the colander with the okra in the ice-water bath (to set the color and stop the cooking), making sure the okra is submerged. Once cooled, drain the okra well and remove it to the prepared plate.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2–3 minutes. Add the carrot and pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and reduced, about 10 minutes.
Add the basil and okra and stir to combine. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over rice.
COOKING TIP * To peel a tomato, using a sharp knife, score an “X” in the bottom of each tomato, being careful not to pierce too deeply into the flesh. Drop 1 or 2 at a time into a large pot of boiling water for 10 seconds and then place them in ice water to stop them from cooking. Using your fingers or a paring knife, remove the skin, being careful not to break the fruit. To seed a tomato, halve it horizontally. Then, working with 1 half at a time and squeezing slightly, insert your index finger into each pocket and remove the seeds.