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Jerrelle Guy’s Baked Smoked Okra Dip

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Makes 5-6 Servings 1x

Time 25 Minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 8 medium okra pods
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 small shallot, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional), preferably Duke’s
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella
  • 3/4 cup shredded smoked gouda, divided
  • Paprika for sprinkling
  • Corn tortilla chips or toasted bread for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Have a 16-ounce ramekin or two 8-ounce ramekins at hand.
  2. Trim the tops off the okra and slice them in half lengthwise and then again in half widthwise. Set them aside.
  3. In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pepper flakes, okra, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the okra just begins to soften and weep some of its slime, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, yogurt, mayonnaise (if using), hot sauce, mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the gouda, and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in the okra and shallots and transfer the mixture to the ramekin(s). Top with the remaining gouda, a splash of olive oil, and a sprinkling of paprika. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is a little crusty. Serve warm with chips or bread.

 

— Excerpted from the book For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspiration, and Recipes by Klancy Miller. Copyright © 2023 by Klancy Miller. Photography © 2023 by Kelly Marshall. From Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.