Okra and Green Tomato Fritters

We really like these! Here we are in the middle of summer. Our garden this year has been pretty beaten down by the heat. The tomatoes are looking tired and haven't ripened. We are in western Pennsylvania though... But, the okra, of all things, is doing OK. In looking for different ways to use okra, I came across a post on SouthernBite.com about okra and green tomato fritters. We decided we had to try making them. We tweaked the recipe a little and this is what we came up with - 

Makes 12 -15 fritters

Ingredients

1/2 pound okra, coarsely chopped

1 large green tomato, or three or four small, diced
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

A sprinkle of garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves chopped
1 tsp minced fresh chili pepper

1/3 cup vegetable oil for frying

YUM-YUM sauce for dipping - Optional but worth it! Look for it in the Asian food section or make your own - https://www.smalltownwoman.com/yum-yum-sauce-japanese-hibachi-style/

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the chopped okra, diced green tomato, minced onion, chili pepper and basil. 

 

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg into the buttermilk, and then add it to the okra mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop the okra batter into the oil by heaping spoonfuls. 

Cook 4 to 5 minutes, then flip the fritters and press them flat with the back of a spatula. 

Cook 4 to 5 more minutes or until crispy and golden brown. 

Cook in batches, adding more oil if necessary; then drain on paper towels, and serve hot.

YUM YUM sauce - 

Pan Cooked Shrimp Dumplings

OK, sometimes we like a little Asian. Lisa thought shrimp dumplings would be the perfect thing to start with, she made these and she was right. They make great appetizers but we had them as the main event with chewy brown rice and sauteed bok choy as sides. Good combination, very tasty. 

These things have a lot of flavor on their own but you could put out hot Chinese mustard, duck sauce or Oriental chili sauce for dipping. We made a simple dipping sauce of Chinese mustard mixed with apricot jam. It worked.

Here's how they're made. You can increase the ingredient amounts easily to make a big batch and freeze them.  

Ingredients for 24 dumplings:

1/2 pound raw 16/20 shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup chopped Savoy or Napa cabbage

1 bunch scallions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

24 wonton wrappers

Cornstarch for sprinkling

1-2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1-2 tablespoons butter divided

Cut 12 of the shrimp in half lengthwise. Add the rest of the shrimp to the cabbage, scallions, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper and pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.

Set out wonton wrappers, a small bowl of water and a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with cornstarch. Place 4 wrappers at a time on a clean work surface and spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling and a shrimp half onto the center of each. Wet your finger and run it around the edge of a wrapper, fold two opposite corners toward the middle of the filling just until they overlap, then fold the other two corners over the top to form a square. Press to seal in the middle. 
Make triangular shaped dumplings by folding two opposite corners together and pinching the edges closed.

Place on the prepared baking sheet, not letting them touch. If all the dumplings won’t fit in one layer, place parchment paper between layers.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add enough dumplings to make a single layer, seam-side down and not touching. Cook uncovered until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn them over and cook until brown on the other side, about 3 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining dumplings adding more oil and butter as necessary.

To freeze: Freeze uncooked dumplings, uncovered, on the parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, at least 8 hours. Once frozen, transfer the dumplings to an airtight container or freezer bag and return to the freezer.