CHARLESTON RICE SPOON RECIPES

Steps:

• Cut the tomatoes in half through their equators and scoop out the seeds with a spoon or your fingers as best as you can without getting obsessive about it. Discard the seeds and cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding the stem and core. 
• In a medium or large saucepan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and browning slightly around the edges, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the turmeric and pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and stir to cook off the raw taste and brighten the color, taking care not to burn the paste, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook until the tomatoes start to soften and just begin to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Add the peas, rice and cinnamon, stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Raise the heat to high and add the butter, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 cups water. Stir and bring to a boil. With a spoon, gently place the eggs on top of the rice, spaced out evenly along the outer edges of the saucepan. They will sink a little bit. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook just until the liquid has been absorbed, about 12 minutes. If you don’t have a glass lid, it’s OK to quickly lift the lid to check the liquid absorption. 
• Remove the lid and wrap it with a clean thin kitchen towel. Secure the towel by tying it in a knot or tucking it into the lid’s handle. Place the lid firmly back on the pot so that the towel can catch condensation, and allow the rice to continue steaming over low heat until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes more.
• Fill a small bowl with ice water. With a spoon, transfer the eggs to the ice water and let stand until cool enough to peel, about 1 minute.   
• Peel the eggs, slice in half, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve with the rice, garnished with mint and scallion if you like.    

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the frozen okra in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, breaking up any large clumps, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast, until cooked through and just starting to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• As okra roasts, prepare the roux: Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. (Either vessel will help evenly distribute the heat for a better roux.) If using vegetable oil, simply heat over medium. Using a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix the flour into the fat. Stir continuously, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot so the roux does not burn (a burned roux cannot be saved), until the roux transforms from pale to peanut butter to a rich cinnamon color, about 7 minutes. Remove the roux from the heat and set aside. (Pull the pot from the heat just as the desired color is reached; the retained heat will continue to cook the roux slightly.)
• Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and bell pepper, and cook until softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lastly, add the Creole and Old Bay seasonings, and stir so that they coat the vegetables and are lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, stock and lentils. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cover and allow the lentils to cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. (Add more water or stock if needed.)
• Add the okra and cook uncovered until softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce, and the liquid smoke, if using. Give the cooled roux a good stir and add it to the pot, making sure to mix it in thoroughly, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt, pepper, creole seasoning or hot sauce, if desired. Serve warm over white rice or quinoa.