Ackee and Saltfish — Jamaica's National Dish

About This Recipe

Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica's national dish — a uniquely Caribbean creation that uses the ackee fruit (technically a fruit, but cooked as a vegetable) with rehydrated and flaked salt cod. Ackee has a soft, buttery, slightly fatty texture that resembles scrambled egg when cooked, making it one of the most unusual and surprising ingredients in world cuisine. Paired with the saline intensity of salt cod and the aromatics of scotch bonnet, thyme and spring onion, the result is deeply satisfying, nutritious and entirely distinct from any other world cuisine. While served primarily as breakfast in Jamaica (often with boiled green banana, fried dumplings and plantain), it is excellent at any time of day.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gsalt cod (bacalao)(soaked in water for 12–24 hours, changing water 2–3 times)
• 540 gtinned ackee(drained carefully — ackee is fragile)
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 1 mediumonion(sliced)
• 1/2scotch bonnet pepper(deseeded, finely chopped — or 1 whole for full heat)
• 1red bell pepper(sliced)
• 1green bell pepper(sliced)
• 2tomatoes(roughly chopped)
• 4 stalksspring onion(sliced)
• 4 sprigsfresh thyme
• 1/4 tspblack pepper
• Salt (careful — the salt cod is already very salty)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak and prepare the salt cod

   The day before: place the salt cod in a bowl of cold water. Refrigerate for 12–24 hours, changing the water 2–3 times to remove excess salt. Taste a small piece — it should still be slightly salty but not mouth-puckering.

2. 2

   Boil and flake the cod

   Place the soaked cod in a saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the fish flakes easily. Drain. When cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones and flake the flesh into large pieces.

   Don't overboil the cod — keep it in large flakes rather than shredding it to a fine paste.

3. 3

   Sauté the aromatics

   Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and scotch bonnet and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add both bell peppers and cook a further 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, spring onion and thyme sprigs. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes soften.

4. 4

   Add the salt cod

   Add the flaked salt cod to the pan. Stir gently to combine with the vegetables. Cook for 3–4 minutes. Season with black pepper (taste before adding any salt — the cod usually provides enough).

5. 5

   Add the ackee

   Add the tinned ackee, drained carefully. Fold in very gently — ackee is extremely delicate and will break apart if stirred too vigorously. Heat for 2–3 minutes until warmed through.

   Use a folding motion with a wide spatula, not stirring. Pieces of ackee should remain intact — the visual is important to the dish.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve immediately with boiled or roasted green banana, fried dumplings (festival), boiled yam, or on toast. Sliced avocado alongside is a modern accompaniment.

Variations

• •

  Smoked mackerel version: substitute the salt cod with smoked mackerel fillets for a smokier, no-soaking-required variant.

• •

  Vegan version: omit the salt cod entirely and add extra bell peppers, mushrooms and extra thyme — the ackee carries the dish.

• •

  Spicier: whole scotch bonnet with seeds for a properly fierce Jamaican-heat version.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 1 day — the ackee becomes softer on standing. Reheat gently in a pan. Not suitable for freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions