AUGUST SPOTLIGHT | Okra

Craig Deihl's Roasted Pork Belly and Pickled Okra rock! We asked him for his take on these Southern summer favorites and some recipes from the kitchen of Cypress Lowcountry Grille.

SLOW COUNTRY CUISINE | Craig Deihl

by Wendy Swat Snyder

Low Country staples like okra, collard greens, grits and shrimp drive Chef Craig Deihl’s seasonal menu at Cypress Lowcountry Grille in Charleston. An advocate for animal pasturing and sustainable fishing, Deihl was among the culinary notables tapped to contribute to One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish - The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook.

“The real challenge in doing a seasonal menu is changing the menu as often as the products change,” says Deihl.

During the hottest months of the year, okra is a mainstay on the menu, matched up with a Deihl favorite – pastured pork. “The quality of the meat is affected by the way the pig is raised, its diet, how it’s slaughtered,” notes Deihl. “All these factors make a huge difference in the final product.”

Chef Deihl's recipe for Pickled Okra follows. Deihl says buy extra okra so you can enjoy it later in the year when it’s not available.

Pickled Okra
1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp.salt
1 tbsp. mustard seeds
4 allspice berries
1 tbsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic
3 cups okra, washed (look for small, firm, green pieces)

In a non-reactive pot combine all ingredients except the okra. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the okra and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and shock the pot in ice water to cool rapidly. Transfer the pickled okra to glass jars and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 week before using. The pickled okra will keep for about one month.


Sources
Keegan-Filion Farm
http://www.keeganfilionfarm.com

Joseph Fields Organics
843-559-5349

Eat More Beef?

Piedmontese cattle originated in the foothills of northwestern Italy and are thought to be a mix of the Auroch and Zebu cattle crossed over 25,000 years ago. We are especially fond of this breed, because Piedmont is also home to the Slow Food movement in Bra, Italy. Today, in the United States, a network of family farmers is raising the cattle on a pure vegetarian feed without the use of antibiotics and without added growth hormones.

The Piedmontese is unique in that it contains myostatin, known as the "double muscle gene." Myostatin is only found in Piedmontese cattle and results in a natural tenderness. Though the beef is naturally lean, the flavor is rich and intense.

Courtesy of Heritage Foods USA