"Coo-coo"
Though Coo-coo is traditionally
credited to Barbados, it appears in a great many islands - including Jamaica, Trinidad,
and Tobago.
In the Netherlands Antilles and the
Virgin islands it is called "Funchi" or "Fungi" (NOT
"Fungus", and is pronounced "foon-jee").
In some recipes Coo-coo is cooked
without the okras, sometimes even without butter - though this produces a rather bland
dish. There is also a sweet fungi, popular in the Virgin Islands.
Okra Coo-coo in Barbados is served
with the island specialty, steamed flying fish, but it is also served in other
islands as a starchy vegetable with any meat or fish, and sometimes with tomato
sauce.
A close relative of Cous-cous, the
word Coo-coo means a cooked side dish, and in addition to corn meal Coo-coo there is
Conquintay (plantain flour) Coo-coo, Breadfruit Coo-coo, Cassava Coo-coo, an interesting
corn meal and coconut version from Grenada, and one from Trinidad made with fresh sweet
corn.
Cold Coo-coo can also be cut into
slices and fried in butter or vegetable oil.
Barbados
- Breadfruit Coo-coo
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
To serve: |
10
minutes
30 minutes
6 |
|
Ingredients: 1 breadfruit (2 lbs. or 26 oz. can)
1/2 lb salt beef, coarsely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf |
1 sprig parsley
2 or 3 stalks chives
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
chicken stock |
MethodPeel the Breadfruit, cut out the core
and discard, and cut the flesh up roughly. If using canned breadfruit, drain and chop
coarsely. Put on to cook with the salt beef and onion, with a bouquet garni of the thyme,
bay leaf, parsley and chive tied up in a piece of cheesecloth, and enough water to cover.
Cook until the breadfruit is tender.
Drain the liquid, remove and
discard the bouquet garni, and mash in 4 tablespoons of the butter over very low heat,
adding a little chicken stock if necessary to achieve a smooth mixture with the
consistency of rather stiff mashed potatoes.
Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Turn all of the mixture - or a portion at a time - out into a buttered basin to
shape it, then turn it out again onto a warmed serving platter for self-serve or for
individual portions. Garnish with the remaining butter.
Serves 6 as a vegetable dish.
Usefulness
Can be served hot or cold. This
is a very nutritious addition to a meal which tastes best immediately after preparation,
but can be prepared a few days beforehand and reheated.
|
Barbados
- Okra Coo-coo
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
To serve: |
15
minutes
20 minutes
6 |
|
Ingredients: 12 small, young okras
6 cups water |
salt to taste
3 cups yellow corn meal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter |
MethodSplit the water between a bowl and a
saucepan, place the corn meal in the bowl to soak and the saucepan on the burner to
heat.
Wash the okras, cut off the
tough tops and the point of the bottoms, and slice crosswise about 1/4 inch thick. Bring
the water to a boil, add salt and okras and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
Pour the soaked corn meal into
the saucepan with the okras in a slow, steady stream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook,
stirring constantly, over a medium heat until the mixture is thick and smooth, about five
minutes.
Turn all of the mixture - or a
portion at a time - out into a buttered basin to shape it, then turn it out again onto a
warmed serving platter for self-serve or for individual portions. Garnish with the
remaining butter.
Serves 6 as a vegetable dish.
Usefulness
Can be served hot or cold. This
is a very nutritious addition to a meal which tastes best immediately after preparation,
but can be prepared a few days beforehand and reheated.
|
Grenada
- Corn & Coconut Coo-coo
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
To serve: |
10
minutes
30 minutes
6 |
|
Ingredients: 4 cups freshly made coconut milk |
salt to taste
2 cups yellow corn meal |
MethodPut the coconut milk on to boil with
salt to taste in a heavy saucepan. When boiling, pour in the corn meal in a slow, steady
stream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture is thick and
smooth.
Serves 6 as a vegetable dish.
Usefulness
Can be served hot or cold. Can
be prepared a few days beforehand and reheated.
|
Jamaica
- Lavina's Codfish Coo-coo
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
To serve: |
10
minutes
10 minutes
4 |
|
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons lard or butter
2 ounces ham or bacon, chopped
4 cups water
2 cups yellow corn meal |
1 pound cooked, shredded salt codfish
1 fresh hot red or green pepper
seeded and chopped
salt to taste |
MethodHeat the lard in a large saucepan. Fry
the ham or bacon in it, add the water and bring to a rolling boil.
Pour in the corn meal in a
slow, steady stream and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium heat
until the mixture is smooth and thick.
Add the codfish and hot pepper,
and cook until the fish is is heated through. Season to taste with salt if necessary.
Serves 6 as a luncheon dish.
Usefulness
Serve hot. This is a nutritious
complete meal which tastes best immediately after preparation.
|
Tobago
- Okra & Sweet Potato Coo-coo
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
To serve: |
10
minutes
10 minutes
4 |
|
Ingredients: 12 small, young okras
6 cups chicken or beef stock
salt to taste
2 cups yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled,
cooked and sliced
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and sliced
2 pimientos, sliced
lettuce for garnish |
MethodWash the okras, cut off the stems and
slice crosswise, about 1/4 inch thick. Bring the stock to a boil, add salt to taste and
add okras. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
Pour the corn meal into the
water and okra broth in a slow, steady stream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook,
stirring constantly, over a medium heat until the mixture is thick and smooth, about five
minutes.
Put the butter into a warmed
basin, add the Coo-coo and shake it until it forms a ball and absorbs the butter. Turn
onto a warmed serving platter and decorate with the sweet potaties, tomatoes, pimientos
and lettuce.
Serves 6 as a vegetable dish.
Usefulness
Serve hot. This is a very
nutritious addition to a meal which tastes best immediately after preparation.
|
Trinidad
- Conquintay Coo-coo
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
To serve: |
5
minutes
10 minutes
6 |
|
Ingredients: 1 cup conquintay flour
1 cup water |
salt
to taste
4 tablespoons butter |
MethodBring the water to a boil, add salt,
remove from the heat. Gradually pour in the conquintay flour. stirring all the time with a
wooden spoon until thick and smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring
constantly. Cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and serve.
Serves 4 to 6 as a vegetable
dish.
This is made with plantain flour,
sometimes available in Health Food stores and specialty shops, often sold as banana flour.
However, it is easy enough to make at home.
To make the flour, peel and clice green
plantains, place on a cookie sheet and dry in a very slow oven until they are quite crisp.
Put through a food mill or grate in an electric blender as fine as possible. Sift through
a hair sieve. Store in a covered glass jar.
Usefulness
Serve hot. This is a very
nutritious addition to a meal which tastes best immediately after preparation.
|

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