This dish is truly a comfort dish like no other. Just so warm, delicious, and utterly satisfying. And comes together in about 35 minutes! 

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons  quality olive oil
• 4 cups trimmed fresh okra cut into 1 & 1/2 inch slices
• 1 Tablespoon  bacon fat or vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
• 1 Jalapeño stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tablespoon  tomato paste
• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes drained and roughly chopped (We love San Marzano!)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon  fresh rosemary chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon  red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

Procedure

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the okra and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until the okra starts to slightly brown and most of the ‘slime’ has disappeared. Set aside. 
3. In a medium skillet, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat.
4. Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaves, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and vinegar.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and start forming something like a paste.
7. Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes longer over low heat.
8. Stir the okra into the tomato sauce, raise the heat to medium, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
9. Taste, and adjust seasonings, as needed. Remove bay leaves and serve at once.