Jamaican Ackee and Salt Fish
Jamaica's National Dish
Cooking Instructions
- 1
Place salted fish in a pot with water fully covering the fish. Place on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil with the pot uncovered. boiling removes the excess salt in the fish. The longer it boils the more salt is removed.
- 2
While you wait for the fish to start boiling prepare the ackee by removing the black seeds of each and cleaning out the middle. The ackee used is fresh off the tree but this can be substituted for Grace Ackee in a can.
- 3
Once the fish starts to boil throw off the water and add fresh water to the fish and return to the stove. If you are using the ackee from the tree, place in the pot with the fish uncovered and bring to a boil. If using ackee in the tin open the can and drain water throughly from the can and set aside.
- 4
While you wait for the fish to come to a boil prepare the fresh seasoning
- 5
Cut and dice up in small peices the onion, bell pepper, garlic, escallions with the green ends included, habanero pepper, tomato combine and set aside in a container.
- 6
When the water comes to a boil remove the fish leaving the ackee in the water to continue boiling and place in a colander to drain. run cold water on the fish to cool it.
- 7
While you wait for the fish to cool test the ackee if it is soft. usually it's cooked when the ackee is floating on top of the water. be careful to not over cook as this will make it too soft and will mash out when doing the final steps.
- 8
Once the fresh ackee is cooked remove from water drain well and set aside
- 9
When the fish is cool enough to handle pick the salt fish using your hands and remove the bones. The fish has a lot of bones so be careful to remove as much as possible. Once picked set aside
- 10
Place a skillet on the stove with the vegetable oil and heat on high. Once hot enough turn down on medium heat
- 11
Place 3 quarters of the seasoning in the oil and sautée until soft
- 12
Once the seasoning is cooked place the picked salt fish in skillet with the seasoning turn up the heat from medium and cook/sautée. stir well so that the fish mixed in with the seasoning and coated with the oil. continue to stir and sautee fish on the oil for 5 minutes.
- 13
At the end of the 5 minutes place the ackee in the skillet with the fish and seasoning. if using tin ackee this is when you would add the ackee to the mixture and stir well ensuring the ackee is evenly mixed in with the fish and seasoning. turn heat down on low. add the black pepper to taste and add the remaining seasoning on top and mix.
- 14
While the mixture simmers continue to stir, be careful not to mash out the ackee. Once throughly mixed cover the pot for 2 minutes allowing the ackee to finishing cooking and absorb the flavour of the seasoning and the fish
- 15
At the end of the 2 minutes stir and taste. The ackee should be soft, the seasoning should be soft. Once satisfied with the flavour turn off heat and serve.
- 16
This delicious meal can be served with slices of roasted breadfruit, plantains, and avocado.
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