Serves four

Ingredients

• 1 pound okra

• Salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil

• Fresh thyme leaves to taste (optional)

• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450º. Rinse the okra, and drain on a kitchen towel. The okra should be dry. Trim away the stem ends and the tips, just the very ends, and then place the okra in a large bowl. Salt to taste, and toss with the olive oil or grape seed oil until coated.

2. Lift the okra from the bowl, leaving behind any excess oil. Place on a sheet pan in one layer. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes (large okra might take a little longer), shaking the pan every five minutes. The okra should be lightly browned and tender, with a nice seared aroma. If you don’t want it to brown as much, set the oven at 400º.

3. Remove from the heat, toss with fresh thyme, if desired, and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a platter. Serve hot.