Fried Yellow Perch and Cou Cou

Season the cornmeal with salt and spread a cup or so out on a flat plate or tray.

Dredge each of the perch fillets in the cornmeal. In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil to the smoking point, drop in the butter and, one by one, quickly slide the cornmeal coated perch fillets into the pan skin side down. They will curl and begin to brown. When each fillet is browned on the skin side, flip them over and brown the other side – remove to rest on a piece of paper towel to drain and keep warm.

Put water to boil in a medium-size pot and season with salt.

Remove the stem and thinly slice the okra and add to boiling water. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes. Lower the heat slightly and, in a steady stream, add the corn meal and stir constantly with a flat wooden spoon.

When it’s fairly stiff and it breaks cleanly away from the sides of the pot add the remaining ingredients, turn off the heat and stir until smooth.

Check the seasoning and divide into the centre of your plates and pile three or more corn crusted perch fillets into the centre.