By Jan Walsh Photos
by Robin Colter

Pickling is a food preservation method that originated from the need to preserve out-of-season foods for long journeys, especially by sea. But the method survives today because people enjoy the resulting flavors. And okra— also known as lady’s finger—is a popular vegetable for Southern pickling.

Co-owners Chris and Idie Hastings have served pickled okra at Hot and Hot Fish Club since they opened in 1995. “They are so Southern,” she describes. A mainstay at Hot and Hot Fish Club, these crisp, cool and tangy pods are not made by Executive Chef Chris Hastings but by his wife, Idie. The recipe and technique originated with her pickles.

“I read a lot of books about canning and preserving. So I learned the old fashioned way,” Idie recalls. “At home I used baby cucumbers to make pickles in mason jars and sealed them by boiling the jars in a pot. The familiar ‘pop’ meant the lid was sealed.” Hastings brings more than book learning and home kitchen experience. She attended the California Culinary Academy in California, worked at Jeremiah Towers’ famed Stars Café, Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio and honed her skills as a baker at Patisserie Francaise.

Ingredients:
6 cups water
3 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pickling spice
2 tablespoons iodized salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
8 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
12 fresh thyme sprigs
9 dried Thai (or Arbol) chili peppers
6 fresh dill weed sprigs
2 pounds fresh okra

Procedure:
Combine the first 11 ingredients (run the water through dill weed) in a
large stockpot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt is dissolved.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
While the brine is simmering, rinse the okra with cold running water
and pick through to remove any bad okra, tough stems or leaves.
Place the okra in a large stockpot or heavy-duty, heatproof container.
Remove the hot brine from the heat and pour over the raw okra. Weigh down the okra with a heatproof plate to make sure they stay completely submerged. Allow the okra to steep at room temperature for one hour. Chill the okra and the brine for at least 48 hours, preferably up to one week. The pickled okra will keep, refrigerated for up to one month.
Makes approximately two pounds.