Soup/Stew/Chowder Northern Ochra Soup

northern ochra soup

(from Cookery as it Should be, by a student of Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, 1853)

Ingredients:

1 pint young tender ochras​

2 onions​

1/2 pint tomatoes​

a piece of garden pepper​

1/2 tsp. salt​

1 handful of Lima beans​

2 young squashes​

1 knuckle of veal, or a pair of chickens​

a piece of cold, cooked pork or bacon​

1 large spoonful of flour​

1 large spoonful of butter​

​

serve fouls with egg sauce​

Instructions:

Take a pint of young tender ochras, wash and slice them, chop two onions finely, and put these into a gallon of water; skin and slice half a pint of tomatoes; add a small piece of garden pepper - a very little piece will answer, - and half a teaspoonful of salt; put all on to cook at seven o'clock in the morning, and let it simmer until noon; then add a large handful of Lima beans. At half past one, add two young squashes, cleaned carefully and cut into small pieces. A knuckle of veal washed and broken and put in, (or a pair of chickens is better,) and a piece of cold, cooked pork or bacon. Let this all boil gently for an hour and a half, and then take out all the meat, and rub together one large spoonful of flour and one of butter, and stir into the soup. The fowls are served with egg sauce. Be careful to remove all scum from the soup while cooking. The knuckle of veal is very nice dished with drawn butter and parsley. This preparation of soup has been timed for a three o'clock dinner. Avoid the use of an iron spoon or ladle in skimming or stirring the ochras.​

Photo by Antonio Rubio, CC-2.0​

While many older recipes take a minimalist approach when giving directions, this recipe for "Northern" okra soup takes the opposite view, spelling out not only the steps but also the timing for a dish to be served precisely at 3 pm. And for those who wondered, the book also has a Southern version.

The author is "a practical housekeeper and pupil of Mrs. Goodfellow" (no name is given).

 

[donna]

Sounds like one to try. Thanks for posting.

 

[UCVRelics]

I love Okra only if its FRIED

 

[CowCavalry]

I love Okra only if its FRIED

Fried crisp is best, little cornmeal and flour dusting, not the heavy breading you get in a restaurant. But its mighty fine in soup or whole pods added to a pot of field peas with some cornbread on the side!

 

[UCVRelics]

I have had it in a pot of pink eye purple hulls and its stewed so it just slides down like a Gulf Coast oyster

 

[CowCavalry]

I have had it in a pot of pink eye purple hulls and its stewed so it just slides down like a Gulf Coast oyster

Hope you have the cornbread with it.

 

[mofederal]

I am the only one in the family who will touch okra, so I would only be able to make a little bit, and I mean only a little. I does sound very good to me, but I love okra.

 

[lupaglupa]

I will admit that fried okra is just wonderful. I never fry stuff at home but when I see it on a menu....

I do understand people who dislike okra, though. It can be slimy at times. In a soup or gumbo it kind of melts and gives flavor as it thickens the broth.

 

[donna]

Bumped two older okra recipes, thought some you might enjoy.