Cou-Cou and Flying Fish

This is a traditional Barbados dish that has been designated as the country's national dish! To begin, a strong arm is required to prepare this dinner. It takes a lot of effort in comparison to other local dishes, but it's well worth it! Cou-Cou starts with okras that have been cut and boiled in water. When the okra is cooked, it turns into 'okra slush,' a sticky, slimy liquid that is mixed with corn meal (finely ground corn). Turn the food and slush until the Cou-Cou has a silky dough-like texture, with no lumps allowed! It's shaped with a few tosses in a butter bowl before being plated. The gravy for the flying fish is the simpler part.

Flying fish is now extremely difficult to come by outside of the Caribbean. It's often ignored because of its small size and numerous bones, yet it's a favorite on the islands! The flying fish is rolled and fixed into position using toothpicks after scaling and boning. Butter is used to fry fresh sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, parsley, and fresh herbs. After that, add water or fish stock and bring to a boil. The rolled flying fish is the last to be added. With a few rolls of fish and veggies, the completed gravy is poured over the cou-cou. Each bite is a delightful explosion of crisp, buttery tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ onion , finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove , crushed
• 1 thyme sprig
• small handful coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 25g okra , stalk removed, thinly sliced
• 50g polenta or fine cornmeal1 tbsp unsalted butter
  
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

• Combine the green seasoning components in a mixing bowl with a touch of salt and pepper. Season the fish with the seasoning, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Dab off any extra marinade with kitchen paper, then coil each fillet into a pinwheel and attach with a cocktail stick.
• To make the cou-cou, heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the onion, and simmer, turning frequently, until tender (approximately 5 minutes).
• Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta, continuing to whisk until it is smooth, thick, and bubbling – about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the polenta is cooked through, stirring frequently. Combine the okra and onion in a mixing bowl. Remove and discard the thyme sprig. Season to taste with the butter and nutmeg.
• Make the sauce in the meantime. In a skillet, heat the oil, then add the onion, celery, and pepper and cook, turning frequently, for 5-10 minutes. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring often, after adding the garlic, pepper sauce, herbs, and curry powder. Bring to a gentle simmer with the tomatoes, tomato purée, 100ml water, and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened somewhat.
• Place the rolled fish fillets in the sauce, cover, and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. Distribute the cou-cou among plates, top with the sauce, then top with the fillets. Eat as soon as possible.