Ackee and Saltfish - Jamaica's National Dish

Ackee and Saltfish - Jamaica's national dish
Cooking Jamaican with YARDIES®

Ackee and Saltfish lightly fried with peppers, onions and spices is the national dish of Jamaica. It is usually eaten for breakfast, but it really goes well at any time of the day. Try Ackee and Saltfish with Rice and Peas or with white rice.

What is ackee?
Ackee is a fruit with a thick red skin that is closed when unripe. However, when the fruit is ripe, the skin opens to reveal its yellow flesh. The three or four yellow sticks each have a single black seed. Ackee originated in West Africa and came to Jamaica with the enslaved Africans.

What is saltfish?
Saltfish is cod preserved with salt. It is a staple in the cuisine of almost all Caribbean islands. It was part of the triangular trade between Europe, Africa and America. Its history is linked to the African slave trade and the trade in West Indian sugar and rum.

Buy Saltfish
Saltfish can be found in shops that sell African food. There you will find it in small packages in the freezer. Before cooking, it should be rinsed well and placed in water for several hours - preferably overnight - to remove most of the salt. In the end, saltfish should taste as spicy/salty as bacon.

Ackee and Saltfish Recipe for 3-4 people

Ingredients
200 g (one package) Saltfish
1 can of ackee 520 g
½ red pepper
½ green pepper
1 onion
2 spring onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 Scotch Bonnet Chili alternatively 1 tbsp Scotch Bonnet puree or 1 tsp dried Scotch Bonnet flakes
To taste: salt, pepper, allspice

preparation

The day before: Rinse the saltfish well to remove the salt. Place in cold water for several hours, preferably overnight. Change the water and cook the saltfish in plenty of water for 25 minutes until soft. Drain the water, set aside and allow to cool. Remove the skin and bones from the cooled saltfish. This is best done with your hands. Cut the saltfish into bite-sized pieces with your hands. As it is so soft, this is no problem at all. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Fry the onions, spring onions and peppers in a pan. Add the garlic, do not fry for too long or it will become bitter. Add the saltfish and stir carefully so that the fish does not break completely. Drain the ackee and rinse carefully with cold water. At the end of the cooking time, spread the ackee in the pan, stir carefully and heat/fry for a few minutes until hot.