Mammy Queen's Okra Soup

The forecast seems to be changing from constant rain to a threat of snow, yet to arrive here, but we were promised some of the white stuff by Madame Boulangère, our neighbour.  Lesley and I thought that with the atmosphere turning ever winterwards, today might be a good time to inject a little flavour of semi-tropical sub-saharan Africa into our lives.  Part of Lesley hails from the shores of Sierra Leone so she has been well schooled in that region's culinary specialities of which there are many.  Today she promised me one of my favourites 'Mammy Queen's Okra Soup'.

the raw ingredients

Although called a 'soup' it is actually a beef and vegetable dish.  The recipe has been passed down through Lesley's family since time immemorial.  The principal ingredient of this very rich and succulent stew is okra, or 'gombo' as it is known in France.  It is also known as 'Ladies fingers' and probably other things besides, depending on where you're from.  

okra, ladies fingers or gombo

If one leans towards 'saveurs du monde' then Ribérac is quite a good place to be situated;  not only does it have its own range of interesting world type eateries (more of which later) it is also well located in order to access the chain of shops known as "Grand Frais".  We have two in nearby Perigueux and another in Bergerac.  What Grand Frais offers is a broad selection of exotic vegetables not widely available in the supermarkets.  These include potato leaf, plaintains, mangoes, paw-paws, piments antillaise and okra so that when one is feeling a bit adventurous in a culinary sense one is able to source one's raw material without too many problems.  

an eclectic mix of fresh ingredients at Grand Frais

Anyway onto the recipe:  Buy a kilo of beef (we use boeuf Bourguignonne bought from our local butcher).  Wash and trim off any excess fat.  Place meat into a medium sized pan of cold water and add three small chopped onions, a Scotch Bonnet pepper, three chicken stock cubes and a good mug of palm oil.  The palm oil is what gives this dish its luxurious oily quality and distinct flavour.  Take time in seeking out a good supplier.  The ethnic quarters of Perigueux and Bordeaux are good places to explore.  Always check the colour, it should be a good deep red or orange but not look industrial;  in time you will sense what is good and what is not.  Boil all of the above together until the meat is semi-soft (about an hour) then add a kilo of okra sliced to look like coins and mix in well.  

chef de cuisine Africaine at work

Cook the melange for a further three quarters of an hour before adding some dried smoked fish.  Here we use smoked herring which can be dried in the oven at a low heat.  In Sierra Leone where dried fish abounds this would be sourced in the local fish market in the capital, Freetown or from one of its many coastal beaches so we do have to cheat a little here.  The dish is now ready and should be served with rice.  It is also very, very good eating when served with fufu which is made from  ground dried cassava, but that's another recipe for another winter's day!

serve with rice or fufu, thanks Mammy Queen!