Okra Fritters with Creole Mustard Sauce

This dish is requested over and over again by my father-in-law. He is the farmer who grows a lot of the wonderful produce we feature here at The Chubby Vegetarian; anytime he makes a menu request, we do our best to fill it.

I can almost assure you that these will be a hit even among okra skeptics. They don't have any of the sliminess that normally turns people away from okra in the first place. How do I know this? After she proclaimed "I don't eat green things," I watched my five-year-old niece eat these okra fritters and exclaim, "I love okra!" Now that's a victory.

You can serve these any number of ways. They're great as a salad on a bed of arugula that's been dressed with my Creole Mustard Sauce, and topped with fresh dill, parsley, and chopped tomatoes. It's also great as a sort of okra Po' Boy slider on a french roll with lettuce, tomato, and dill. You can also just dip the fritters right into the Creole Mustard Sauce as a simple appetizer.

Okra Fritters (makes 8-10 fritters)

2 cups sliced okra (1/4 inch pieces, stem ends discarded)
1/2 cup finely diced onion (sautéed in 1 tablespoon butter until translucent)
1/8 teaspoon each: garlic powder, nutmeg, paprika, sea salt, cracked black pepper
2-3 dashes hot sauce

1/8 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup flour 

1/8 cup cornmeal

1 egg (beaten)

canola oil for frying

Mix everything (save for the oil) together in a large bowl. Heat 1/2-inch of canola oil in a 

10-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, you are ready to add the okra mixture. Using an ice cream scoop, place a portion of the okra mixture into the oil. Cook 3-4 at a time for about 2 minutes per side until all of the mixture has been used. Makes one dozen.

Creole Mustard Sauce

2 tablespoons mayo
2 tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon ketchup
Squeeze of lemon (about a teaspoon)
pinch of sea salt 

cracked black pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Done!