Okra Salad with Fresh Herbs

Be sure not to overcook okra to keep it crunchy.

In salad bowl, combine juice from 1 orange, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp ground pepper. Whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil and set aside. Steam 1/2 pound North and South okra until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and dry well. Trim off stem ends and cut into thin slices. Combine in bowl with 1 red onion, finely diced, 1 tbsp capers, 1/4 cup each chopped parsley and basil. Garnish with orange zest and chopped hard boiled egg.

-Ellen Ecker Ogden, author of From the Cook's Garden cookbook