People love okra, or they hate it. Those who hate it think it is slimy. There are a couple of techniques that prevent okra from becoming too slimy. First and foremost, don’t overcook it. When okra is cooked to just tender, it is fresh and crisp, not “ropy.” The other technique is to cook okra with an acid. This recipe uses both tomato and a bit of red wine.

Ingredients

　　3 tablespoons canola oil

　　1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped

　　2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

　　1/2 cup dry red wine

　　1 1/2 pounds okra, stems trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　4 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped

　　3 sprigs of thyme

　　2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　In a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the red wine, and cook until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the okra, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.