Okra

Called thiebou djenne, this national dish of Senegal is traditionally eaten from a communal platter. The hostess divides the fish and vegetables onto a portion of rice for each person. In Senegal, the cook would most likely use whatever fresh whole fish was available, so any 1-pound (12-inch-long) white-fleshed fish you can find will do. If you live in an area where there are African markets and you like funkier flavors, look for dried fish such as stockfish to add as well — it lends an authentic smokiness. Be forewarned, however, that many find dried fish (distinct from salt cod) a decidedly acquired taste.

This dish, typical of West Africa, is traditionally accompanied by foo-foo (a porridgelike side dish made from corn, sweet potato, plantain, or cassava meal). We strongly recommend serving the stew with rice to sop up the delicious sauce.

Associate Food Editor: Alexis Touchet
Father: Rodney Miller, Abbeville, LA
When I was a kid, our summer routine started with the opening day of shrimp season — my dad would get the boat ready and out we would go, winding our way down the bayou until we reached Vermilion Bay. He would check to make sure the trawl net was securely tied before tossing it into the water, and would then let it be dragged down slowly along with the trawl boards. When we painstakingly pulled the net up onto the boat and untied the bag, it spilled out a catch of shrimp, crabs, and fish. These fresh shrimp were the stars in Dad's favorite gumbo recipe.

Don't be put off by this recipe if you don't like the slippery texture of okra — it disappears when the okra is coated in batter.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Though you have to plan ahead, processing these pickles is worth the effort — we found the heat cooks the okra just a bit and helps them absorb the brine.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The African, Caribbean, and Asian populations of New York share a common love of spice and okra, so we've combined the two. If habanero chiles are too spicy for you, use a serrano or jalapeño chile instead. Rinsing your okra gives it a cleaner taste and texture. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

The secret to this dish is to trim the okra very carefully at the top, cutting the stem without cutting open the okra at all.

Okra replaces the usual eggplant in an innovative and appealing appetizer.

For those who've found the consistency of okra unappealing, there are secrets to keeping it crisp and toothsome: Don't cut into the pod when trimming the stems and don't overcook it.

Any type of hot smoked pork sausage such as andouille or kielbasa will do for this takeoff on traditional Louisiana dirty rice. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Pass warm biscuits, or stick with tradition and mound some cooked white rice in the center of each bowl of soup. For a nice go-with, toss shredded lettuce with artichoke hearts, sliced mushrooms and creamy buttermilk dressing. Stay with the southern theme by ending with pecan pie.

This recipe combines the best of two classic New Orleans dishes — gumbo and jambalaya.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Serve this flavorful dish with corn bread or crusty French bread.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The following recipe calls for filé powder, a spice made from the dried, ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Although often added as a thickener to gumbos while they cook, filé powder can also serve purely as a seasoning. As in this recipe, it is then sprinkled over the gumbo at the penultimate moment.