Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Food 911Episode: Caribbean Flavors

Rated: 2 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (17)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(17)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 1 hr 0 min

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Ingredients

2 ears whole corn
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups okra, frozen or fresh
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
6 cups water or chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups yellow corn meal
Freshly ground nutmeg

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the whole ears of corn into the oven (do not shuck the corn) and cook until the outside is charred and the inside feels soft when pressed, about 30 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, pull out the silk and remove the husk. Cut the kernels off the cob and set aside.

If using frozen okra, put it into a strainer and run it under cool water for a few minutes to thaw. Remove the stems from the okra and cut them into thirds. Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until it begins to soften, then add the corn, okra, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute and set aside.

Butter a 13-inch by 9-inch pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually sprinkle in the corn meal, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. When it is all incorporated, stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the sauteed vegetables. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, to taste, and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour into the buttered dish and let cool.

Slice the cooled cornmeal into squares and serve. You can also fry the cornmeal squares for a few minutes in butter or olive oil to make them crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)
Anonymous 01-20-2008
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Bajan coucou
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I was born in Barbados and grew up there and this is far different from the recipe we use. I guess this is your... interpretation of it. By the way corn, thyme, nutmeg, chicken stock and black pepper are none of the ingredients we use. Nice try though.Read more
recipe Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)
Gina St. Michael 08-02-2007
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Not Barbadian
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I was quite distraught to watch this 'recipe' on Tyler's show. I am 100% Babradian and have never seen or heard anything like... this in Barbadian cooking. Coucou is our national dish and this is an insult to our nation! I will be very careful of recipes i get from food network in future as they claim to be authentic but may not even remotely be the correct dish from that country!Read more
recipe Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)
Markitta ST. Lucy 08-01-2007
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Good Caribbean Cooking
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I just saw the re-run of the episode on bajan coucou, I sat proudly waiting to see my national dish displayed for the whole... world to see, what I saw left me speechless and dumbfounded as to why the program was allowed to continue. A check with our local food guru and internationally recognized chef Mr. Peter Edey, should have been undertaken before the show was allowed to be televised. I found all the recipies to be only "bajan" in name and an insult to our rich bajan food heritage, I shudder to think what you would do to our famous "Black Belly Lamb" which is sought after worldwide. In the future contact Mr. Edey or better yet have him take some time off from his shows "Dueling chefs" and "Caribbean Cuisine" to really show you some Bajan cooking.Read more
recipe Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)
Amber West Hollywood, CA 04-30-2007
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Bajan Here, Too
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

First, I have to say that I feel Tyler tried to make the humble Bajan cou-cou more fancified than necessary. But we all know... that these t.v. chefs need to create dishes with pizzaz and nuff gooshment, so don't knock the man too hard. We Bajans know the deal, and if corrections aren't made, then to France with them all. Honestly, though it may not be the traditional cou-cou as we know it, it sounds like it could be a good "mock cou-cou", and I will try it out. Second, in response to the so-and-so that posted this comment: "Good recipe 10/05/2006 at 10:03am User: Anonymous User Rating: [5 stars] This was a good recipe, and the results tasted good. I'm not quite sure, but the few people who lectured everyone about the true way to do things all sound like the same person. I would recommend they take their poor grammar and head back to the Caribbean where they can eat the 'real thing' in their filthy hovels." This person obviously has never been to the Caribbean, and has never known anyone from the region. If so, they wouldn't have such a poor misconception of our beautiful part of the Earth. I would recommend that this person stays put, and NEVER visits the Caribbean. Shoot, I wouldn't want them in Bim! Such awesome beauty and the warm hospitality of our people shouldn't be wasted on the likes of them. Not to mention de rum! Shame! Now g'long an' neva come back, hear?!Read more
recipe Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)
Anonymous 04-16-2007
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A national dish destroyed
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

Cou-cou is the national dish of Barbados. The recipe from your show is not cou-cou but simply what it states, your version... of corn meal and okras. I am a Bajan (Barbadian)and will not bash your recipe because I have not tried it, but to call this Cou-cou is the destruction of a proud country's national dish. Would you do that to America? I think not. Please find an authentic Bajan to relate the true essance of cou-cou.Read more
recipe Cornmeal with Okra (Cou-Cou)
Kevin & Ann Owings Mills, MD 10-05-2006
Flag

Wrong way
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

Havng been born and raised in Barbados, I have NO idea where Mr. Florence got his recipe for cou-cou..but it looks NOTHING... like the cou-cou i've eaten all my life. Whole hunks of Okras? I enjoy Food911 normally, but The Bajan Chicken and cou-cou was so far off base! Im VERY VERY VERY dissappointed!Read more