COO-COO RECIPE – BARBADOS

Coo-Coo Ingredients

• 12 Okra
• 1.5 litres/ 2 1/2 pints water
• good pinch of salt
• 250g/8oz yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 25g/1oz butter

To Serve:

• Cooked sweet potatoes
• sliced tomatoes
• slices pimentos

How To Make Coo-Coo:

1. wash the okra and cut off the stems. Cut them into 5mm/ 1/4-inch thick slices. Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan and add the prepared okra and the salt. Boil until tender.
2. Slowly add the cornmeal to the saucepan in a thin stream, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring to prevent any lumps forming and removing any cornmeal from the sides of the pan.
3. Add the sugar and continue cooking over moderate heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring all the time. When cooked, the coo-coo mixture will be thick and smooth.
4. Place the butter in a warmed rounded bowl or basin and add the coo-coo. Roll it around in the bowl until it forms a ball. Serve, cut into slice with sweet potatoes, tomatoes and pimentos.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Serves: 6

Recipe published in Hamlyn Essential Caribbean: Step-by-step Recipes with Style

AVOCADO ICE CREAM RECIPE

Avocado Ice Cream Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 125g/4oz Sugar
• 600ml/ 1 pint milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond essence
• 2 medium-sized ripe avocado pears
• Good squeeze of lime juice

How To Make Avocado Ice Cream:

1. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat lightly together. Add 50g/2oz of the sugar and beat lightly. Heat the milk in a saucepan until very hot but do not allow it to boil.
2. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring well to mix it thoroughly. Pour the milk and egg mixture into the top of a double boiler and stir over hot simmering water until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Alternatively, place the basin over a pan of simmering water stir until thick. Stir in the vanilla or almond essence and set aside to cool.
3. Cut the avocados in half and remove the peel and seed. Mash them in a bowl with the remaining sugar and lime juice. Beat Well.
4. Mix the custard into the mashed avocado and turn into a freezer tray. Freeze lightly until the mixture is slushy. Remove from the refrigerator, beat again and then return to the freezer until frozen.

Preparation: 20 minutes + Freezing Time
Serves: 6-8

Recipe published in Hamlyn Essential Caribbean: Step-by-step Recipes with Style

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