Sopi Di Yuwana (Iguana Soup)

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Lids when I saw your picture holding the Iguana I was thinking about this recipe, which is a delicacy in the Netherlands Antilles.

Ingredients:

1 plump Iguana
1½ quarts low sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic
1 leek, sliced
1 tomato coarsley chopped
1 onion studded with 3 whole cloves
1 green pepper, quartered
1/4 of a small white cabbage
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
A few ounces of vermicelli

Method:

1. Ask your butcher to clean and skin the iguana.
2. Cut iguana into serving pieces.
3. In a large pan add chicken broth, garlic, leek tomato,onion, green pepper and cabbage.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the iguana and simmer an additional half hour, or until the meat is tender. Remove from the fire. Bone the iguana and set the meat aside.
5. Return the broth to the fire and add cumin, nutmeg, salt, pepper and vermicelli. Simmer for 5 minutes or until vermicelli is tender. Add the iguana meat and heat thoroughly. Serve piping hot with Funchi (corn meal mush).

Funchi (Corn Meal Mush)

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Funchi is the Papiamento word for corn meal mush and is the staple of the Netherlands Antilles. It must be vigorously stirred while cooking. According to our cookbook "Asina nos ta cushina (This is the way we cook)old time cooks would stir the fungi to the rythm of 'Un pa mi, un pa bo, un pe.' Funchi was then scooped from the kettle with a little calabash, and the funchi ball was placed on each individual plate - "One for me, one for you, one for him."

Mix in heavy saucepan:

1½ cups cold water
1½ cups corn-meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir in:
1½ cups boiling water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method:

Bring to a brisk boil over high heat and cook for 3 minutes. Continue cooking an additional 3 minutes, stirring the funchi vigorously with a wooden spoon. When the mixture is very stiff and pulls away from the sides of the pan, remove from the fire, Turn out into a deep, well buttered bowl than cover with a plate. Now shake the funchi down in the bowl, then invert it on a serving platter.