Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish – Jamaica’s national dish – is a traditional Jamaican dish Ackee and Saltish, that is generally found across the island in homes restaurant and cook shops and in major cities across the world where the Jamaican diaspora resides. It is typically served as the ‘breakfast of champions’. This delicious and keto-friendly recipe is made with ackee that is delicately cooked with saltfish and seasoned with scotch bonnet peppers, onions, garlic, red peppers and tomato. Ackee and saltfish is usually served with a variety of starches and ground provisions such as green bananas yellow yams, green bananas and everyobody’s favorite – breadfruit. Other sides include fried dumplings, green or ripe plantains; bread and/or crackers. This recipe is definitely one you should put on your DIY list.
Ingredients
- 1lb pound boneless salted codfish (desalted, cooked and flaked)
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 large onions, minced
- 4 stalks escallions, chopped
- ¼ scotch bonnet pepper, chopped
- 2 cans ackee, drained
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
Desalt the salt fish by soaking it in fresh tap water overnight in the refrigerator. Pour off the water, add fresh tap water, and put fish to boil until cooked. Taste for saltiness. If the fish is still salty add fresh water and boil again. Pour water off, cool, and shred fish. In a large Dutch pot put coconut oil to heat. Add minced onions, garlic escallions, and scotch bonnet pepper. Sauté until for three to five minutes. Do not burn. Add all the salt fish cook for two minutes. Add drained ackee. Slowly mix all the ingredients. Cook for three minutes. Add black pepper. Add sprigs of thyme. Cover the Dutch pot. After one minute, turn off the heat. Serve with buttered hard dough bread, fried dumplings, boiled bananas, or roast breadfruit. Fried plantains are a great accompaniment. Enjoy Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish for breakfast (or any time you prefer)!
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By Chef Minna Lafortune
