Ackee and saltfish recipe

Jamaica national dish, where buttery ackee arils are folded whole into salt cod scented with a whole scotch bonnet.

12 hours and 35 minuteseasy10 ingredients

Ingredients

• 540 g ackee
• 250 g salted cod
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 2 scallion
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp black pepper

How to make Ackee and saltfish

1. Soak 250 g salted cod overnight, changing the water twice, then simmer it 15 minutes, drain it and flake it, discarding skin and bones.
2. Drain a 540 g tin of ackee gently; fresh ackee must have opened on the tree by itself and be boiled 20 minutes, the unripe fruit is poisonous.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil and fry 1 sliced onion, 1 chopped bell pepper and 2 chopped scallions for 4 minutes.
4. Add 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper and 4 sprigs of thyme and cook 1 minute; leaving the pepper whole gives the perfume without the raw heat.
5. Stir in 1 chopped tomato and cook 3 minutes until it collapses.
6. Add the flaked saltfish and fry 3 minutes so it takes on the seasoning.
7. Fold the ackee in with 1 teaspoon black pepper and warm 3 minutes, turning it two or three times only so the arils stay whole.
8. Lift out the scotch bonnet and the thyme stalks and serve with fried dumplings, boiled green banana or roast breadfruit.

Get Copper on the App Store

More dishes from Jamaica →