Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and Ackee and Saltfish is the national dish. So it goes without saying that this is a must-have recipe if you want to cook like a Jamaican. It’s a savory dish with lots of salty flavour and is so versatile you can eat it for breakfast lunch or dinner! I prefer serving it for Sunday breakfast along with Fried Dumplings, Fried Plantains and hardough bread!
Shopping tips: Salted cod can now be found in most supermarkets If you can’t find it try a West Indian grocer or Portuguese fish market. In cities with large Jamaican communities canned ackee is easy to find, or you can request a special order.
Ingredients
1/2lb Salted cod
2 Cans of ackee (19oz)
8 Strips of bacon, chopped
1 Medium onion, chopped
1 Medium tomato, diced
3 tbsp Cooking oil
1 tsp Black pepper
Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Reduce the salt in the cod fish. Overnight method: remove skin and soak in cold
water overnight. Drain, flake and set aside. Same day method: put codfish in a
saucepan with water and bring to a boil then drain. Repeat two more times; drain,
flake and set aside.
2. Drain canned ackee in a colander and set aside
3. Fry chopped bacon and set aside
4. Saute chopped onion and tomato in cooking oil until onion is transparent
5. Add flaked cod fish, bacon and 1/2 tsp of black pepper to saucepan
6. Gently fold in ackee and sprinkle with remaining pepper; simmer on low heat for five to 10 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
