Okra!

I like okra, but whenever I suggest making it for dinner, Melanie has always said, "yuck! That slimey stuff" so I pass since I don't want to cook a dish just for one. Well, it has been building to a boiling point, and I decided to cook okra, even if I am the only one who is going to eat it. So, I bought a bag at the local farmers' market and fixed it up in a Cajun style, with some modifications. Melanie liked it so much she asked me to put some in her lunch today.

Finely dice an onion.
Dice a red bell pepper.
Coarsely chop a few tomatoes, reserving the juice.
Mince three cloves of garlic.
Slice your bag of okra into quarter inch rounds.
Fry up your onion and bell pepper in a mixture of bacon fat and olive oil.
Add the garlic and okra.
Fry to coat everything with oil.
Season with pimenton agridulce (or cayenne, if you want to be a purist).
Add the tomatoes, the juice from the tomatoes, a generous pinch of Mexican oregano, and a splash of dry white wine or dry white vermouth.
Cover and let simmer.
Serve with barbecue, sliced melon, grilled peaches, and a bold fruity red like a Sierra Nevada foothill zinfandel (we actually had an Amador County barbera, which was a good pairing).