Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 13: Okra with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Okra with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

by Miriam Meir

 

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef or ground lamb
2 eggs
2 slices good bread, soaked in water, squeezed dry, and crumbled
1 zucchini, peeled and finely shredded
1 yellow summer squash, peeled and finely shredded
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
Olive oil
1 large can diced tomatoes
4–5 fresh tomatoes, puréed in a food processor
About 1 lb okra, preferably small pods, trimmed (see tip)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Additional salt, to taste
Optional: fresh parsley or thyme (in the sauce and in the meatballs)

White basmati rice, for serving

Step 1.
Combine half of the chopped onion with the ground beef or lamb. Add the eggs, soaked and squeezed bread, zucchini, summer squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and turmeric. Mix well and set aside.

Step 2.
Heat a little olive oil in a large pot. Add the remaining chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the canned tomatoes and puréed fresh tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer.

Step 3.
Meanwhile, trim the okra carefully (see tip). Add it to the tomato sauce and season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step 4.
Once the sauce is hot, form the meat mixture into balls about the size of tennis balls and carefully drop them into the sauce. Cook on medium-low for about 20 minutes without disturbing, until the meatballs are cooked through and the okra is tender.

Serve with white rice.

Tip:

Cut off the tip of the okra stem just above the fine line separating the cap from the body of the pod, taking care not to cut into or expose the inside of the okra. Keeping the pods intact prevents them from becoming slimy.