Okra Salad with Fresh Herbs

Okra Salad with Fresh Herbs
This colorful salad makes great picnic fare. 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