Fungi Recipes

FUNGI

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil over medium-high.
• When water reaches a rolling boil, add okra and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook over medium-high until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Slowly and carefully, pour half the cornmeal into the water while whisking to prevent lumps. It will get very thick very quickly.
• Once the mixture is smooth, add the remaining cornmeal and the butter, whisking vigorously to combine.
• When smooth, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If you'd like it a little thinner, whisk additional water into the mixture. Serve hot.

FUNGIE AND PEPPERPOT

Steps:

• Place water, okra and salt in a pan. Bring to boil until okras are cooked. Remove half the liquid. Stir with a wooden spoon. The corn meal is mixed to a pasty batter by adding cold water then stirring & mixing this.
• Add wet corn meal. Reduce the heat, stir continuously with a wooden spoon until mixture becomes fairly stiff.
• When the mixture breaks away cleanly from the pan (i.e it does not stick), the fungee is ready. Butter a bowl, turn the mixture into the bowl, shaking it into the shape of the bowl, then turn it out into a serving dish.
• Serve hot with Pepper Pot, boiled fish or stew.
• Pepper Pot Preparation.
• Wash all leaves and vegetables in salted water. Place cut vegetables; eggplant, squash and leaves to soak in fresh water Cook salted meat in water with no salt for 10 minutes.
• Remove and drain. Heat vegetable cooking oil. Add salt meats. Fry for about 15 minutes, add onions and fresh meats. Fry for another 5 minutes.
• Add all vegetables, except peas. Stir. Add just enough water to cover and cook the vegetables till tender. When the vegetables and meat are cooked, add the peas along with all seasonings.
• Allow all ingredients to simmer under low fire for approximately 15 minutes or until thick. Serve with okra fungee rolled in butter or margarine.

FISH AND FUNGI VIRGIN ISLANDS STYLE

Steps:

• Place fish with all ingredients into a saucepan and cook gently until fish is cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Place frozen okra in boiling water. Cook until just barely tender.
• In a medium size saucepan, bring 2½ cups water to a boil.
• To make fungi that is free of lumps, mix about ¼ cup of the cornmeal with ¾ cup water in a separate small bowl. Then, add this mixture back into the larger pot of boiling water.
• Let cornmeal cook for about a minute, then add the rest of the cornmeal into the pan in a slow steady stream, while stirring constantly.
• Add hot cooked okra to cooked cornmeal. Stir well.
• Then, stir in the butter, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Simmer for about 5 minutes more.

PASTA WITH FUNGHI TRIFOLATI

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in very hot water until soft, anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. When they are tender, remove the dried mushrooms from the soaking liquid with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid; slice or chop if the pieces are large.
• Set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta and salt it. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When it is hot, add the garlic and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and dried mushrooms when they're ready, and cook until they give up their liquid and start to brown, at least 15 minutes. Add the white wine or mushroom-soaking liquid to the pot and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom as the liquid starts to bubble.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta until tender.
• Reduce skillet heat to low. Add remaining butter and the parsley, and stir to combine; sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the pasta is done, drain it. Add the pasta to the mushroom mixture, and toss until well combined. If the mixture is dry, add a little pasta water or mushroom-soaking liquid. If you like, garnish with Parmesan and more parsley.