Xerém

What it really is

A Cabo Verdean ground-maize porridge served alongside fish or meat.

Coarsely ground maize is cooked slowly with water until the grains soften and the mixture thickens. A softer version is spoonable like porridge; a firmer one can be portioned beside the main dish. Some cooks enrich it with fat or coconut, but those additions are not implied by the plain grain preparation. Xerém is a staple accompaniment, not a filled or baked corn cake. Fish, meat or stew may be served with it, with the side dishes providing sauce and protein. Menus should distinguish plain xerém from an enriched version.

Xerém is a soft, textured preparation made by slowly cooking coarsely ground maize. It is commonly served as an accompaniment to fish and meat dishes; enrichments differ by recipe.

How it's served

Serve warm in a bowl when soft, or portion beside fish, meat or stew when cooked firmer.

How to write it on the menu

• Describe whether the version is plain or enriched with fat or other ingredients.