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Fried Okra with Creamy Buttermilk Dip

Source of Recipe

From "Farm to Fork" by Emeril Lagasse


Recipe Introduction

"Ahhh, the abundance of okra. In the South, it's available fresh practically all year-round. Fry up these bites, whip up the dip, and make some friends."

List of Ingredients

◦ Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
◦ 1 cup buttermilk
◦ 1 egg
◦ 2 tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce, or your favorite
◦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
◦ 1 cup yellow cornmeal
◦ 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
◦ 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
◦ 1 tablespoon salt, plus more for seasoning
◦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ 2 pounds okra, sliced into �-inch-thick rounds (about 4 cups)
◦ Creamy Buttermilk Dip (recipe follows)


Recipe

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 360� F.

In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce to combine. In a second bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, cayenne, granulated garlic, the 1 tablespoon salt, and the black pepper. Working in batches, dredge the okra first in the buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then in the flour mixture. Shake to remove any extra breading. Repeat until all of the okra is breaded.

Fry the okra, in batches, in the hot oil, turning it as necessary, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fried okra to paper towels to drain, and season lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining okra. Serve the okra hot, with the Creamy Buttermilk Dip on the side for dipping.

Makes about 4 servings






❧ Creamy Buttermilk Dip:

◦ � cup buttermilk
◦ � cup mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade
◦ � cup sour cream
◦ � teaspoon cayenne pepper
◦ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
◦ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
◦ Salt, to taste

Combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, cayenne, garlic, and chives in a small bowl, and stir to mix well. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (up to one day in advance).

Makes about 1 � cups