Source Attribution
Original Cookbook Name: The Black Family Reunion Cookbook
Published By: The National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Year of Publication: 1991
Page Number: 55
Author / Contributor: Listed under “Heritage Recipe” (specific contributor not named)
Okra and Tomatoes is a cornerstone dish of Southern and African American home cooking — a symbol of resilience, flavor, and cultural memory. Both ingredients carry deep roots in African food traditions: okra (known as gumbo in many West African languages) was brought to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade, while tomatoes were cultivated by Indigenous peoples and embraced in the South. Together, they form a dish of simplicity and depth — one that graced countless Sunday tables, family reunions, and summer gardens. Slow-simmered with celery, onions, and a bay leaf, this recipe from The Black Family Reunion Cookbook captures the spirit of homegrown Southern comfort and community.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Butter Flavor Crisco
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes
- 2 cups sliced young okra
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Melt Butter Flavor Crisco in a large saucepan.
- Add onions and celery. Sauté until vegetables are soft.
- Add tomatoes, okra, and bay leaf.
- Simmer, uncovered, one hour.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Yield: 8 servings
Editor’s Note
For a lighter version, you can use olive oil or butter instead of shortening. If using frozen okra, thaw and drain before adding to the pot. Serve as a side with rice, cornbread, or grilled fish to create a balanced Southern plate.
Cultural Insight
Dishes like Okra & Tomatoes exemplify African American ingenuity — transforming seasonal produce into flavorful, nourishing food. In many communities, this dish was made from homegrown vegetables, often traded among neighbors or harvested from church garden plots. The recipe’s balance of tangy tomatoes and silky okra also echoes the “gumbo” tradition — a culinary inheritance from West Africa that evolved into countless regional variations across the South.
Visual Reference
