HOW TO STORE OKRA RECIPES

Steps:

• To make the gumbo, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the chicken and sausage. Brown on all sides, remove and set aside.
• Heat a little more oil if needed in the pan and add the onion, celery and pepper. Fry for 5–10 minutes, stirring regularly until softened. Add the garlic, Cajun seasoning and thyme and stir continuously for about 20 seconds or so, until aromatic.
• Return the chicken, sausage and any juices back to the pan. Add the flour and stir to coat all of the ingredients. Add the stock (you will only need half of it if you don't include the okra), tomatoes and okra, if using, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 15–20 minutes until cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Add the prawns (do not add prawns now if you are freezing the gumbo, see tip) and cook for a few minutes until they are pink and just cooked.
• To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease two 6-hole muffin tins or one 12-hole muffin tin with a little melted butter.
• Heat about a tablespoon of the butter in a small frying pan. When it starts to foam, add the spring onions, sweetcorn and chilli and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sweetcorn is golden.
• In a small bowl, mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the soured cream with the eggs, milk and remaining melted butter until smooth. Fold the dry polenta mixture into the soured cream mixture until you have a smooth batter and then stir in the sweetcorn mixture until evenly mixed. Divide the mixture between the holes in the muffin tins and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Garnish the gumbo with the amaranth and spring onions and serve with the lime wedges and muffins alongside. Store any leftover cornbread in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• 1. Peel and deseed the pumpkin, then chop into 2cm chunks.
  2. Pour 800ml of boiling salted water into a large pan over a medium-high heat, add the coconut cream and leave to melt, then add the pumpkin and allspice berries.
  3. Trim the spring onions and bash with your fist, then halve and drop into the pan with half the thyme sprigs and the whole Scotch bonnets (no holes or bruises please).
  4. Roughly chop the cabbage, discarding the core, then add to the pan with ½ a teaspoon each of sea salt and black pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, then rinse and stir in the rice.
  5. Pop the lid back on, turn the heat down to low and cook for 12 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off and leave to steam.
  6. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the garlic and peel and roughly chop the onion, then place in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil and cook for 5 minutes.
  7. Halve the tomatoes, then remove the chillies from the rice, carefully deseed, slice, and add half to the pan (feel free to add more later, to taste, and remember to clean your knife, board and hands thoroughly after).
  8. Pick in the remaining thyme leaves, then trim and halve the okra and add to the pan. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, then tip in the beans (juices and all) to warm through for a few minutes.
  9. Fork up the rice, breaking up the pumpkin, and serve with the beans, seasoning everything to perfection.