International Cuisine

Exploring the world through food.

Cote D’ Ivoire Velouté d’Ignames (Cream of Yam Soup)

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Cote D’Ivoire is part of the African yam belt.  The Akan have a yam festival every year to celebrate this tuber’s harvest.  Many times yams in the United States is actually a sweet potato.  You need to do some homework to actually find a real yam, they come in many colors.  I was able to find red ones at least I think I did!  The soup is a delicious way to showcase this much loved and depended upon tuber in the Ivory Coast. Enjoy!

Cote D Ivoire Yam Soup

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5 from 1 vote

Cote D' Ivoire Velouté d'Ignames (Cream of Yam Soup)

Course Soup
Cuisine Cote D' Ivoire
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4
Author International Cuisine

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs yam peeled, washed and chopped
  • 3 leeks washed and finely chopped
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 6 cups water +/-
  • 1 small can of evaporated milk
  • salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 slices of stale bread
  • 3 tbsp groundnut oil

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a stock pot, add the leeks and onions and fry until golden brown (about 10 minutes).
  • Add in the yams then cover with plenty of water and season to taste with salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
  • Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the yam pieces are tender.
  • When the soup is almost ready, heat the groundnut oil in a pan.
  • Cut the bread into large cubes and fry in the oil until golden brown all over.
  • Remove the bread with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to drain.
  • When the yam mixture has cooked, take off the heat and allow to cool slightly then puree in a blender until smooth.
  • Return the puree to a pan and stir in the condensed milk.
  • Allow to heat through then ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve topped with the fried bread croutons.

 

Cote D’ Ivoire Cucumber and Courgette Salad

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Cote D’ Ivoire Cucumber and Courgette Salad is simply delicious.  The sweetness added to the vinegar along with the pepper flakes are wonderful. I am always looking for ways to use an abundance of Zucchini from my garden and will make this recipe often. I hope you enjoy it too!

Cote D' Ivoire Cucumber salad

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5 from 1 vote

Cote D' Ivoire Cucumber and Courgette Salad

Course Salad
Cuisine Cote D' Ivoire
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4
Author International Cuisine

Ingredients

  • 2 medium cucumbers scored with a fork and sliced very thinly
  • 2 medium courgettes zucchini, scored with a fork and sliced very thinly
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 4 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely-ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • In a bowl arrange alternating layers of cucumber and courgette.
  • Whisk the vinegar, sugar, hot water, salt, black pepper and chilli flakes together and pour over the layers of cucumbers and courgettes.
  • Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour before serving.

 

Cote D’ Ivoire Kedjenou (Chicken Stew)

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Cote D’ Ivoire Kedjenou is a wonderful chicken stew that is cooked in a special vessel called a canari or canary.  This cylindrical vessel does not allow any steam to escape keeping in all the juices of whatever is in the pot.  This technique of cooking results in a scrumptious tender piece or chicken.  The vessel is shaken or turned over the coals for a good period of time to achieve this result.  You can get close with a tight-fitting lid and some tin foil on a dutch oven or stock pot. The chicken stew went perfectly with the side dish called attieke and the cucumber and courgette salad.  Enjoy!

Cote D' Ivoire kedjenou

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4 from 4 votes

Cote D' Ivoire Kedjenou (Chicken Stew)

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Cote D' Ivoire
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 4
Author International Cuisine

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. of chicken thighs and wings work well with skin on, however any chicken pieces can be used
  • 1 eggplant peeled sliced and salted
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 1 hot chili pepper seeded and chopped
  • 3-4 to matoes peeled and chopped
  • 1 red or green bell pepper
  • ginger one small piece, peeled and minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup of water or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon ground nut oil only necessary if using skinless chicken.

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients into a large cooking pot.
  • Stir well until everything is combined
  • Seal the pot with some heavy duty aluminum foil
  • Put on the tight fitting lid
  • Cook on medium high heat for about 5 minutes then turn down to low.
  • Shake the pot without removing the lid every 15 minutes
  • Cook for 1 1/2 hours and then check for to see if meat is cooked, if not continue cooking until done.
  • Serve with Attieke or rice, Enjoy!

 

Cote D’ Ivoire Attiéké (Fermented Cassava)

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Cote D’ Ivoire Attiéké  is a traditional Ivorian recipe.  It is made with fermented and grated cassava.  The dish is steamed and similar in texture to a couscous.  The flavor due to the fermenting is a wonderful sourness.  I was able to find frozen Attiéké at my local African market.  It can also be found boxed.  It was the perfect companion to the main dish called kedjenou.  I would highly recommend you try it! Serve with some garnish of sliced onions and tomatoes.

Cote D' Ivoire attieke

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4.34 from 3 votes

Cote D' Ivoire Attiéké (Fermented Cassava)

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Cote D' Ivoire
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Author International Cuisine

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of attiéke about 1 lb.
  • 1 Tablespoon vinegar
  • 2 Maggi or stock cubes
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  • Place the attiéké in a metal bowl then place in a steamer basket and steam until all the water has been absorbed.
  • Now remove from the steamer and work the attiéké with a fork to break up any clumps.
  • Return to the steamer and cook for about 10 minutes more.
  • Turn the attiéké into a bowl and work with a fork to break up all the clumps (if the clumps do not break up, then it has not cooked enough.
  • Steam for a further 10 minutes.
  • Continue with this process until the attiéké is fluffy and cooked but not sloppy (it should look like couscous or grits).
  • Once it is done, turn into a large bowl and work in the vinegar, crumbled Maggi cubes and olive oil. To serve, turn the attiéké onto a dish and garnish with a little diced tomato and thin slivers of sliced onion.

 

 

Cote D’ Ivoire Melon Fingers

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Cote D’ Ivoire melon fingers was a light and refreshing way to end our Ivorian meal. Dessert is not common on the Ivory coast however fruit is and that is what would typically be served as a sweet treat at the end of a meal.  There are many tropical choices there.  I chose cantaloupe with lime slices as it also was the colors of their flag. I love a little lime on fruit and this was perfect!

Cote D' Ivoire melon fingers

Cote D' Ivoire melon fingers
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5 from 1 vote

Cote D' Ivoire Melon Fingers

Course Dessert
Cuisine Cote D' Ivoire
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Author International Cuisine

Ingredients

  • 1 melon
  • 1 lime

Instructions

  • Cut melon into wedges and then make slices across to make the fingers
  • Cut the lime in wedges and serve on top