End of summer produce like okra and corn bring me back to my time in the South in Charlotte, North Carolina. Seared okra and charred sweet corn are a perfect duo to savor the last weeks of summer. Served over labneh and harissa butter, it’s delicious served with fresh toasted bread or pita or just scoop it up with a spoon. Match the subtle buttery elements with a full bodied white wine like Chardonnay.
Okra and sweet corn are a perfect late summer match
To know me is to know I love corn, and I am always looking to be inspired to incorporate it into a recipe. Call it my midwest roots, or call it great taste – either way, corn holds the number one spot on my list (and in my heart) of favorite late end of summer produce.
This recipe highlights charred sweet corn with seared okra, another great end of summer veg to savor. I often saw okra while living in North Carolina for a handful of years, so I was excited to find it here in Paris.
The best time of year for okra and corn is from late August to Early October, so this veg dish is ideal for those “transition” months between seasons.
How to avoid slimy okra
Everyone’s greatest fear is slimy okra (non?), unless it’s being used in a recipe like gumbo for “thickening” purposes – it’s all about perspective. But for seared okra, you definitely want to keep it crisp. A quick tip is to add some acid. I go for a fresh squeeze of lemon or lime et voilà, it prevents that “slime” from ruining your perfectly cooked okra.
Creamy labneh perfectly marries charred okra and corn with the spice of harissa butter
Earthy charred flavor of okra with a hint of sweetness from the corn and the spice from harissa butter are balanced with the creamy labneh base. It’s a perfect comb of flavors and textures, and is great with toasted baguette or fresh pita.
Fortunately, my neighborhood in Paris has more than a few Lebanese food markets I can pop into to grab fresh labneh on a whim (the dream!). Any store-bought labneh you love will be a great base. Otherwise you can make your own easily but it requires some waiting:
- Combine 1 cup of whole fat Greek yogurt with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Strain the salted whole fat Greek yogurt with cheesecloth overnight.
- Remove from the cheesecloth and mix in to your preference with olive oil, za’atar, some lemon, etc.
Wine Pairing: Full Bodied White Wine
A glass of Chardonnay will match the buttery richness of the corn and labneh without overpowering the flavors in this dish.
Charred Okra and Sweet Corn with Harissa Butter Over Labneh
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: vegetable
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4–6 okra, sliced in half length-wise
- 2 cobs of corn or 1 can of sweet corn
- Labneh (store-bought or make your own)
- 1 tablespoon of harissa
- 3 tablespoons of butter (less if you like a higher level of spice, as this will be mixed with melted together with the harissa)
- Fresh cilantro
- Some olive oil, sea salt, and lemon for cooking
Instructions
- Char corn cobs on a grill or roast in the oven if you have the option, unless blackened to your liking. Otherwise, remove slice the kernels off the cob and pan fry over just-above-medium heat (without oil) until they are darkly browned. If using canned, simply drain the can of any excess liquid, rinse with water, pat dry a bit and do the same. Canned will likely take a little longer because there is extra liquid. Once charred, remove from the heat and set aside.
- Toss the sliced okra halves in olive oil and season with a bit of sea salt. Place the okra slices in a pan (the same one from before will do) over medium heat, making sure they are not touching each other. Let them sear undisturbed until blackened to your liking. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from the heat and squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over them. The acid helps to prevent that ‘slimy’ okra texture. You could use lime as well if you prefer.
- Bring the heat down to low and add the butter and harissa, stirring vigorously to mix the two together. If using a bigger pan, tilting the pan to the side helps.
- Combine half of the harissa butter with the charred corn and toss to coat completely. Keep the rest to drizzle over top for serving.
- Spread some labneh on a serving dish, as much as you’d like. Pile on the charred corn tossed in the harissa butter, and finally layer the seared okra on top.
- Drizzle with the remaining harissa butter and finish with some fresh cilantro. Serve with toasted bread.
Sydney is a 29-year old American living between France and Italy. She has a WSET Level 2 certification in wine, along with a degree in environmental engineering and an MBA. She loves exploring local farmer’s markets, haunting her favorite wine bar, and discovering new restaurants.
