What’s in season: Okra

​Okra is like politics — you’ve probably got a strong opinion, whether you’re willing to share it or not. But before you cast your vote, consider the possibilities for this shopping-cart candidate.

Most okra is green, but right now you can get purple okra at farmer’s markets. The color change might help win over some folks who think of it as a slimy vegetable because of the juice inside the body.

When it’s ripe, okra is soft and fuzzy. This means that it’s also fragile, bruising easily and becoming mushy. If you can pierce the skin easily with a fingernail, you’re good to grab a bundle. Keep it stored dry in a plastic bag in your vegetable crisper and you’ve got three to five days before you need to cook it. Okra is also relatively easy to freeze and reheats well.