Gloria Corea left St. Vincent in the Caribbean when she was 13, but the Caribbean culture has never left her, especially when it comes to food. She still easily assembles a colorful feast from her native land.

“Everything you need for Caribbean cooking you can find in Hawaii because it’s the same climate,” Corea says. “Look in the general supermarkets or specifically the Filipino markets or at Mercado de la Raza on Beretania Street.”

St. Vincent and a chain of smaller islands, called the Grenadines, make up an archipelago country in the Caribbean Sea.

In St. Vincent, beef is eaten only occasionally, but every day, starchy vegetables and fruits are served, including taro root, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, arrowroot and plantains. These are referred to as “ground provisions” and can be added to any stew or soup, or cooked by itself.

In fact, Capt. Bligh, made famous in the book “Mutiny on the Bounty,” was a junior officer to explorer Capt. James Cook and brought breadfruit from Tahiti to the Caribbean as an inexpensive food for slaves.

Proteins include a variety of fish, turtle, turtle eggs, Caribbean whelk meat (sea snail that Corea says tastes like opihi), pilot whale (which is legal to catch) and sea eggs (what we call sea urchin).

Contrary to popular belief, not all Caribbean food is fiery hot.

“It does always have herbs, but we add Scotch bonnet peppers only if you want the heat,” she says.

The food of the islands reflects its multicultural history. Corea says she herself represents the story of St. Vincent as she descends from the Portuguese, African and Caribs — the indigenous people.

The retired Kapahulu resident shared one of her favorite dishes using chayote squash. Called christophene in the Caribbean, Corea remembers her grandmother using it as a tenderizer to cook with beef. Here in Hawaii, she says she finds it for the best price in Chinatown.

One such dish shows the influence of the French, with the squash cooked until tender and the flesh mixed with cheese, onions and garlic to make a beautiful stuffed “au gratin” dish that Corea often shares at potlucks. To make it a bit more substantial, she sometimes adds shrimp to the stuffing. She advises choosing a large chayote and, for the best taste, those that are more white than green.

Callaloo soup, meanwhile, is surprisingly familiar. It’s a soup from luau leaves, coconut milk and broth that is served throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ nine inhabited islands. The dark green soup will remind you of our beef or squid luau.

Also on Corea’s lineup is a Caribbean-style fish stew that will be a new favorite way to prepare Hawaii’s various white, firm-fleshed fish. Corea uses whatever is fresh and a good price. After cubing it, she fries and then simmers it, with onions, garlic, tomatoes and chilies.

To serve with her chayote, soup and stew recipes is the classic side dish of fried plantains, easily sourced in Hawaii. Corea chooses yellow, ripe fruits that are not mushy. She slices them lengthwise and fries them in vegetable oil, then tops them simply, with a sprinkle of salt. The final touch is a quick appetizer, flavored up with bottled Pickapeppa Sauce, original flavor or spicy mango, poured over cream cheese and served with crackers.

Corea always cooks with the lively sounds of Caribbean music playing, and she says there are many classic Caribbean drinks to enjoy with a meal. But that is a story for another day.

CARRIBBEAN FISH STEW

• 1 pound firm white fish (opah, shutome, mahimahi), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon dried herbs (thyme or Italian blend)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, seeded and sliced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup fresh or stewed, canned tomatoes (drained if using canned)
• 3/4 cup water
• Chili flakes or Scotch bonnet peppers, to taste (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime

In bowl, mix fish with herbs and let sit a few minutes to overnight.

Dust fish with flour. In a skillet with oil, brown fish. Set aside.

In same skillet on high, stir-fry onion, pepper and garlic. Add in tomatoes and fish, and simmer on medium.

Add water and hot peppers if desired. Add lime juice and serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4 with other side dishes.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 310 calories, 17 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 24 g protein.

GLORIA COREA’S CHAYOTE AU GRATIN

• 2 large chayote squash
• 2-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 cups onions, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• Ground white or black pepper

Wash and cut chayote lengthwise into halves. Drop into boiling water with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt. Water should cover squash completely. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Check for doneness by piercing with knife. Drain and rinse in cold water. Gently scoop out meat, saving shell, which will be refilled.

Chop any large bits. Cooked seeds can also be chopped, but membrane around seed should be discarded. Allow flesh to drain in a strainer.

In skillet over medium, melt butter and cook onions about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add garlic and continue cooking until onions are transparent. Add drained chopped squash. Cook until all liquid is gone.

Remove skillet from heat. Add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir briefly to melt cheese.

Place squash shells on greased or lined baking dish. Distribute filling equally between four shells. Top with remaining Parmesan.

Broil until top is golden brown. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

(Note: This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated. Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.)

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 170 calories, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 1,250 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 5 g protein.

CALLALOO SOUP (TARO LEAF SOUP)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 pound taro leaves, washed and coarsely chopped (stems can be used, but remove shiny outer skin)
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian dried herbs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)
• 1 cube vegetable or chicken bouillon
• 1 can coconut milk, with 2 tablespoons reserved for garnish

In large, heavy pot, heat oil on medium-high. Saute onions until almost transparent. Add garlic and saute a few more minutes. Increase heat to high. Add taro leaves in batches, constantly stirring, until all are added and leaves are wilted. Cook another 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

Place leaf mixture into food processor or blender, along with some broth. Blend until smooth. If doing in batches, pour into bowl until all is done.

Return to pot. DO NOT TASTE! Taro leaves must be boiled for at least 10 minutes, then simmered 45 to 50 minutes.

Add remaining broth, herbs, salt, pepper, Tabasco if using, bouillon and coconut milk. Stir and simmer another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Garnish with a little coconut milk in the center of each bowl of soup. Serves 6-8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste): 220 calories, 19 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 750 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 6 g protein.

Lynette Lo Tom, author of “The Chinese Kitchen,” is fascinated by old-fashioned food. Contact her at 275-3004 or via Instagram at brightlightcookery. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.