"Coo-coo", p253.
Also known as "Fungi" (foon-jee)

From "The Complete Book of Caribbean Cooking"
by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz - Ballantine Books
ISBN 0 345 33256 3

Barbados

Breadfruit Coo-coo
Okra Coo-coo

Grenada

Corn & Coconut Coo-coo

Jamaica

Lavina's Codfish Coo-coo

 

Tobago

Okra/Sweet Potato Coo-coo

Trinidad

Conquintay Coo-coo
Sweet Corn Coo-coo

Windwards

Cassava Coo-coo

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

Peel 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.
      

12 small, young okras
6 cups water

Split 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.
      

4 cups freshly made coconut milk

Put 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.
      

2 tablespoons lard or butter
2 ounces ham or bacon, chopped
4 cups water
2 cups yellow corn meal

Heat 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.
      

12 small, young okras
6 cups chicken or beef stock
salt to taste
2 cups yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Wash 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.
      

1 cup conquintay flour
1 cup water

Bring 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.