Last Blast of Summer Veggies

I love okra, so it is hard to believe that I have never had this salad before.  No surprise that it is from my aunt in Oklahoma.  Okies--yes, I am proudly one of them--are known for their love of okra fresh from the garden.

Okra Salad

Salad:

4 qt. okra, breaded, fried & drained*

1 small red onion, diced

1 small red or green bell pepper, diced

1 small tomato, diced

12 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled

Dash of cayenne pepper

*You may use 2 packages of store-bought breaded frozen okra but fresh is best. If you have an abundance of fresh okra, you may slice it and bread it in a mixture of 3 parts cornmeal, 1 part flour, salt and pepper.  Fry okra in hot oil until browned.  Sprinkle cayenne pepper on the okra while frying. 

Dressing:

¼ cup vinegar

½ cup oil

½ cup sugar

Combine okra, onion, pepper, tomato, and bacon in large salad bowl.  Stir together vinegar, oil, and sugar until sugar is dissolved and pour over okra mixture. Toss gently and serve. This is best if you let it chill for a few hours before serving.