Charred Okra and Shrimp

A screaming hot cast iron pan is the key to this healthy Cajun-style Charred Okra and Shrimp… The flavors of gumbo – thyme, paprika, cayenne, garlic – without the fat-laden roux. Ready in under half an hour, this one-pot dish may become a new family favorite!

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – About Cajun Cooking and Charred Okra

Cajun or creole? Gumbo is a signature dish for both, the former being roux based, and the latter being tomato based. Cajun gumbo is a dish I crave a couple of times a year, and I usually make it at least once.

My roux is a dark chocolate brown, and made with a 1:1 ratio of  oil to flour. FATTENING. It really doesn’t meet the definition of “healthy with global flair” (my blog tagline). When I see all the fresh, gorgeous okra start appearing at our local markets, my mind automatically goes to shrimp and okra… and gumbo. We do love my Curried Okra and Eggplant, but where’s the gumbo?

This okra season, I was determined to create a dish reminiscent of Cajun gumbo without the fat and calories that cling to it like fuzz on a peach. My biggest concern was the SLIME. That SLIME that makes half the people that try it hate it.  😨 I was afraid that a simple stir-fry technique would leave that slime on the okra.

Keep in mind this Healthy Cajun-Style Charred Okra and Shrimp is GLUTEN FREE. LOW CARB. LOW FAT! What are you waiting for?

🌶 Why Char the Okra?

Enter charred okra. After years of working with blistered, charred Hatch green chile, I am fully aware of the intense, complex flavor achieved through the process.

To confirm my thought process, I googled “charred okra,” and came up with lots of hits! I decided to give this method a try combining tiny tomatoes and Gulf shrimp with Cajun seasonings. If you’re concerned about sustainability (as I am), my favorite resource is Monterrey Bay Aquarium.

The screaming hot sear cooks off the somewhat gross mucilage that is off-putting to so many people. Additionally, the blackened edges provide a smoky flavor and crispy texture that works really well with the rest of the dish!

📋 Ingredients Notes

Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

• refined coconut or vegetable oil – This skillet dish requires oil with a high smoke point.
• fresh okra
• shrimp – Use the best quality shrimp available. Farm-raised shrimp can be good, but you need to know the source. Shrimp raised in polluted water and fed poor-quality food can affect the taste.
• garlic
• dry white wine – Dry sherry and rosé are good substitutes. If you don’t like to cook with alcohol (it all burns off), substitute broth.
• fish or chicken broth/stock
• lemon – You’ll need both juice and zest. Do not substitute bottled lemon juice please.
• fresh thyme, or dried thyme leaves
• cajun spice mix
• smoked paprika
• sea salt/fresh ground pepper

🔪 Instructions

As I mentioned in the intro, a cast iron pan is essential. They’re simply superior in distributing and cooking with extreme heat. I use refined coconut oil with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil is fine too. Olive oil has a much lower smoke point, and you’ll burn the oil!

Obviously the okra gets charred. (It’s in the title DUH). I love to bump up flavors, and I decided to use the same technique on the tomatoes, sweet onion, and shrimp as well. They line up and take turns getting scorched in that hot pan.

• Gather and prep your ingredients – Mis en place is imperative in a quick-moving recipe like this charred okra and shrimp. Assemble all of your ingredients, prep the shrimp (if necessary), slice the okra, tomatoes, and sweet onion. If you need to mix up a spice mix, have that ready as well. I slice the lemon, and portion the wine and broth for the pan sauce. Prepare your garnishes as well. Once you start cooking, this dish is done in 10 minutes!
• Cook the okra – Add the oil to a heavy skillet (ie. cast iron) over high heat. When it is scorching hot, add the okra. Do not stir until you see edges charring. You want some nice color. Stir only enough to turn the okra. When you have a good amount of charring, and the okra has lost its “slime,” remove them from the hot pan (about 3 minutes if the skillet is screaming hot).
• Cook the tomatoes – Add the tomatoes to the hot skillet, adding more oil if necessary. Cook the tomatoes until they begin to char and burst. Remove from the pan.
• Cook the sweet onion – Add the sliced sweet onion, cooking on high heat until the onions soften, and get some color on the edges. Remove from the pan.
• Cook the shrimp – Add the shrimp to the pan, stirring occasionally until the shrimp are opaque but not dry. This only takes 2-3 minutes. Dried out shrimp isn’t good! Remove from the pan.
• De-glaze the pan – De-glaze the pan with white wine, stirring to loosen any browned bits. Add the broth/stock, lemon juice and zest, thyme sprigs, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
• Finish the dish – Add the shrimp and veggies back into the pan. Stir to combine. Turn off the heat. Remove the thyme sprigs. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and gumbo file. Enjoy!

🍚 What to Serve With It

You can serve this over brown or white rice, quinoa, etc., but we’re watching calories and carbs, and skip it entirely. You might also choose to serve it with a chunk of grilled bread.

As to a wine pairing? We love a bone dry sauvignon blanc or a bone dry French-style rosé. Both complement the lemony shrimp! If you prefer a craft beer, I find that a citrus IPA (not too heavy on the hops) or a light farmhouse saison pairs well…

💭 Tips and FAQ

Options for shrimp – I prefer the flavor of wild-caught shrimp. Since moving to the Rio Grande Valley, I’ve developed something of a love affair with Gulf shrimp. Unfortunately, we only get them in the shell with that nasty vein. I often put my hubby to work peeling and de-veining them, but that’s a 15 minute task (even for the 2 of us).

Just this summer, I tried Argentine wild-caught shrimp that were peeled and de-veined. I can literally get this meal ready in 15 minutes using peeled and de-veined shrimp. Sadly, though, those Argentine shrimp won’t go in my cart again as they’re on the “avoid” list in the sustainable fisheries lists (due to bycatch).

If sustainability is important to you (if not, it should be  😉 ), look for peeled and de-veined from a “best choice” or “good alternative” source. The time savings makes a meal like this a great option for busy weeknight cooking!

Where can I find Cajun/Creole spice mix? You can find many commercially prepared Cajun spice mixes. I have used Zatarain’s and Tony Chachere’s, but their “regular” seasoning is higher in sodium than I like. Tony Chachere’s now has “Lite,” “Salt-Free,” and “Bold” versions as well.

I often make my own. I like this recipe for Cajun Seasoning Mix (leave out the salt); I prefer a salt-free recipe and the flexibility to add salt to taste. If my jar is empty, though, I don’t hesitate to use the Lite or Salt-Free Tony Chachere’s.

Is the Spanish paprika “Cajun?” I love the hint of smokiness from the addition of smoked paprika, though you won’t find it in traditional Cajun recipes. Omit it if you’d like.

Remember: Fresh is best! Keep lemons on hand, and avoid that bottle of lemon juice please.  😆

What is gumbo filé? I keep gumbo filé in my well-stocked pantry. Gumbo filé is made with the dried and ground leaves of the North American sassafras tree. There is no substitution IMHO. If we’re out of it, I’ll still make the dish, but I’ll be sad…

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The Cajun gumbo flavor is there, but it is an exceptionally light and flavorful dish. Best of all, it’s ready in less than 30 minutes… even with a glass of wine and good conversation!

Do you like the concept of charred okra, or does it to closely resemble burned food that ought to be scraped into the trash can? Honestly, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one… Please leave (thoughtful and kind) comments at the bottom of the post. 

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