Guest Author - Eileen Brown
Ackee and Salted Codfish is Jamaica's national dish. Salted Codfish, also known as saltfish and bacalao, is used often in Caribbean cooking. It can be found in the seafood department of most supermarkets. Salted Codfish must be de-salted before it is used in cooking and you can do this easily by soaking the fish in cold water overnight, then pouring off the soaking liquid, covering the codfish with fresh water and boiling it for 5 minutes.*
Ackee is a delicious fruit that has a texture and flavor much like scrambled eggs. But ackee is tricky; it is poisonous unless it is absolutely ripe and it is poisonous if it is overripe. It takes a trained eye to recognize when the fruit has ripened sufficiently and it must be processed immediately. For this reason, it is not possible to procure fresh ackee outside of the Caribbean islands. However, canned ackee, which is called for in this recipe, is one of Jamaica's major exports and it can be found in many West Indian and Latin markets.
Ackee and Salted Codfish
1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon fat
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped (use both white and green parts)
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 pound salted codfish, desalted and cooked (see note below)
1 sprig thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (19 oz.) can ackee, well drained
De-bone the salted codfish and flake with a fork. Set aside.
Place a skillet over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and scallions. Sauté until they are translucent, but not browned. Add the chopped tomato, the Scotch bonnet pepper, the thyme sprig and the black pepper and stir gently to combine with the onions. Continue to sauté for just a few minutes, or until the tomatoes are warmed through.
Add the salted codfish to the vegetable mixture and stir gently. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the water from the codfish has evaporated.
Add the ackee to the skillet and gently fold it into the codfish and vegetable mixture. Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the water from the ackee has evaporated.
To serve: Gently remove the Ackee and salted codfish from the skillet with a slotted spoon, allowing any excess oil to drain off. Serve with cooked white rice or breadfruit.
* If you are in a hurry, you can put the fish in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Boil the fish for 15 minutes. Drain the fish and rinse with cold water. If it's still salty, cover it again with cold water and boil for another 10 minutes.
