Stephan Pyles

Want to pick up some grilling tips before the Fourth of July?

Chefs Stephan Pyles and David Gilbert are hosting a summer smoking and grilling class from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday at Sustenio, which is in the Eílan Resort Hotel & Spa, 17103 La Cantera Parkway.

The menu will include:

• Passion Chile Margarita
• Smoked Tomato Gazpacho with Goat Cheese-Horseradish Panna Cotta and Olive Oil Powder
• Grilled Watermelon-Arugula Salad with Soft Shell Crab, Queso Fresca and Tomato-Ginger Jam
• Watermelon Rind Pickles
• Molasses Grilled Quail with Corn Pudding Tamales and Morita Salsita
• Rosemary-Citrus Grilled Peaches with Jamon Serrano Ice Cream

Tickets cost $75 a person. For reservations, call (210) 598-2950.

Flash Cooked Okra with Almonds

Looking for a great way to fix okra this summer? This version goes together so easily and tastes so good, it’ll quickly become a staple. Have the ingredients together and ready to go until just before you’re ready to serve dinner. While the meat is resting, you can cook it up.

But okra? Really? “I get a lot of great comments about this okra, as it conquers the problem of sludgy okra that most of us dislike,” Hugh Acheson writes in “A New Turn in the South” (Clarkson Potter, $35). Use small pods, as the bigger they get the woodier they become. This recipe relies on high heat to cook the okra quickly and they need to be enjoyed right after you finish.”

Flash Cooked Okra with Almonds

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
1 pound okra (stems removed and the pods cut into long pieces on the bias)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup sliced roasted almonds

Heat a 12-inch frying pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and when the butter is melted add the okra. Sauté for 3 minutes and then season with salt and add the almonds. Toss well and remove to a platter. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

From “A New Turn in the South” by Hugh Acheson