11 November 2009

Pickled Okra

Recently I've been craving okra, but the season for fresh pods from the farm is over. It's time to turn to the preserved variety, and I felt like a bit of spice as well. Fortunately in the South, okra can be found in many forms, so I procured a jar of Trappey's Hot Cocktail Okra. You can eat these straight, slice them and add them to a sandwich or creamy salad of some sort, or you can take that "cocktail" modifier to heart. Oh yes. The fabled Okratini.

This is not a creation of my own, and I generally hate the -tini suffix that gets added to any beverage poured into a cocktail glass. In my opinion, this is a real, 3:1 gin:vermouth martini; the garnish is a separate issue (more on that in a bit). But the name Okratini is too euphonious to pass up. It sounds like a term from Greek philosophy... "Ωκρατίνι refers to the Aristotelian concept of preferring mild guilt over the just action, as in pretending that you've run out of checks when Girl Scouts knock on your door during cookie season. Mentioned in The Nicomachean Ethics."

Initially you don't get a lot of flavor from the okra, but the heat shows up as a slight tingle on the aftertaste. To release more of the essence, take regular bites out of the pod and give it a thorough squeeze and stir. Once that vinegar and salt brine are released it gets a little closer to a Dirty Martini, though I find that most people go a little heavy on the olive juice.

The heat from the peppers intensifies as the drink steeps and warms, and while I like the added kick, there's nothing wrong with using mild pickled okra. These are also suggested as a good garnish for a Bloody Mary; if anyone tries that out, let me know. I've had lots of different Bloody Mary variations, and have never been very enthusiastic about the cocktail. Plus in the modern age, the garnish has gotten out of hand. A mere sprig of celery is not enough; you must add shrimp and other vegetables, or bacon and pickles and citrus.

When it comes to the traditional gin and vermouth martini, two garnishes are commonly accepted: the olive(s) or twist of lemon peel. Personally I prefer the peel, but I think there's some room for improvisation without getting crazy. A blue cheese-stuffed olive is wonderful. An heirloom cherry tomato, split and skewered with a boconccino of fresh mozzarella and basil is lovely in the summer. Even a swath of orange peel speared on a sprig of rosemary can provide an added dimension to this classic cocktail. The freshness of the garnish ingredients are paramount; nobody wants those dried out olives or sad withered lemon wedges that's been fermenting in the bar tray for a few days. And keep it small and simple--serve the shrimp on the side.

10 comments:

fredric koeppel said...

i can't stand okra. & Aristotle is just too damned Aristotelian.

Big Mike said...

Ben, I had no idea you loved the Orka's!! I pickle my own every year. I will get you some of last years that are ready and some of this years as soon as I can. Great post and Fredric my friend you are missing out on something great!!!!!

Benito said...

Fredric,

As I was adding the okra to the martini, I was thinking, "Fredric's going to hate this." ;)

Mike,

I've had some of your pickled okra a few years ago--it was delicious!

Cheers,
Benito

Samantha Dugan said...

Gotta go with Fredric here kid, it's the slime factor that just skeeves me out. Pickled green beans I cannot stop eating though and I have used them in Bloody Marys and Dirty Martinis

Benito said...

Sam,

One thought crossed my mind: could I do some molecular gastronomy thing and use the okra slime to make a kind of martini gel? Perhaps chilled and formed into little cubes?

Cheers,
Benito

Samantha Dugan said...

Think I just threw up a little...

vickibarkley said...

Benito,
I love pickled okra, and am totally inspired to try this okratini, Benito!! (I'm a Tennesseean myself)

Sam,
I know, not your thing. But I've found that the pickling diminishes the slime factor almost as much as frying in cornmeal. Much closer to an olive than you'd think.

And gelatin cocktails are fabulous. A couple of years ago, I made a batch of Cosmos. I'm thinking Sazeracs for Thanksgiving this year. Then again, there was my famous ring mold that was a Jack Daniel's whiskey sour!

Benito said...

Vicki,

Always glad to hear from a fellow Tennessean. If you try this, let me know what you think.

Cheers,
Benito

vickibarkley said...

Benito,
Actually, I live in Long Beach, and am lucky enough to be a 5 minute drive from Samantha's store. But I grew up in Chattanooga, went to college at MTSU.

And Sam turned me on to your blog. I love it!!

Cheers!
Vicki

mickey said...

I just pickled some okra (spicy, with a Habenero pepper in each jar) and can't wait to try this. Also put up some watermelon rind pickles which I think would make a tasty drink garnish-I'm thinking of a pickled onion with the watermelon in a Gibson. I need a sexy name like Okratini.