Cou-Cou (Caribbean Polenta)

For a pleasant weekend breakfast, slice and fry leftover cou-cou and serve it with your favorite syrup.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 pound fresh okra or 1 package frozen cut okra
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water

Cooking Directions:

1. Clean and wash okra. Dice all but 6. Add 3 cups of water to a large saucepan. Add salt. Boil. Add diced and whole okra. Boil okra for 5-8 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Save whole okra aside for garnish. Measure 2 cups of liquid from the cooked okra to use for cooking your cou-cou.\
2. Mix cornmeal in a large bowl with enough cold water to moisten and blend it together. Stir the cornmeal slowly into the reserved liquid and okra in the pot. Use a wooden spoon to mix together. Return pot to stove over medium heat and continue to stir okra and cornmeal. Cook and stir about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Insert wooden spoon into center of the cou-cou. If spoon stands up in the pot and is easily removed from cornmeal, your cou-cou is done. Cou-cou should be firm when it's done. If the cou-cou is loose and creamy looking, you have used too much water. If too much water is used, let cou-cou stand uncovered over low heat to "dry out."
4. When Cou-Cou is done, turn the entire mixture into a buttered serving bowl and garnish with whole okra. Serve with sauce made of steamed codfish or Frizz Fish and cucumber salad.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Note: Refrigerate leftover cou-cou.

Recipe property of Nyla Morrison, author of "Minna Cooks Caribbean". Used with permission.