Okra

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For those who've found the consistency of okra unappealing, there are secrets to keeping it crisp and toothsome: Don't cut into the pod when trimming the stems and don't overcook it.

The secret to this dish is to trim the okra very carefully at the top, cutting the stem without cutting open the okra at all.

Pass warm biscuits, or stick with tradition and mound some cooked white rice in the center of each bowl of soup. For a nice go-with, toss shredded lettuce with artichoke hearts, sliced mushrooms and creamy buttermilk dressing. Stay with the southern theme by ending with pecan pie.

This recipe combines the best of two classic New Orleans dishes — gumbo and jambalaya.

Though you have to plan ahead, processing these pickles is worth the effort — we found the heat cooks the okra just a bit and helps them absorb the brine.

A low-fat sausage will work here, though it will not produce as flavorful a gumbo.

The following recipe calls for filé powder, a spice made from the dried, ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Although often added as a thickener to gumbos while they cook, filé powder can also serve purely as a seasoning. As in this recipe, it is then sprinkled over the gumbo at the penultimate moment.

Serve as a relish with the meal, or offer as cocktail nibbles. Make these one or two days before the party.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

The African, Caribbean, and Asian populations of New York share a common love of spice and okra, so we've combined the two. If habanero chiles are too spicy for you, use a serrano or jalapeño chile instead. Rinsing your okra gives it a cleaner taste and texture. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this flavorful dish with corn bread or crusty French bread.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Okra replaces the usual eggplant in an innovative and appealing appetizer.