About Afro-Caribbean
Dishes;
This month we look into
Ackee & Saltfish
Refrigeration and canning
are relatively new inventions in the old days people had to preserve fish & meats in salt. Saltfish is cod fish that is still cured in salt the old fashioned way. Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and grows in clusters on an evergreen tree.The Ackee, Akye- fufo tree, To give it it's original name, was introduced to Jamaica from west Africa during the 18th century.
How to Make it.
Get your self;
2 Dozen a Ackees in pods
(or 1 tin of ackees)
1 spring thyme
1/2 lb (150g) Salt cod fish
1 hot pepper
2 tablespoons (1oz,25g) butter
1 small tomato, chopped
2.fl oz,50 ml oil
2 onions sliced, Black pepper.
Cooking instructions:
Chose ackees that are open, with the black seed clearly visible. This is important, as
unripe ackees are highly toxic.
Discard the seeds and pink membrane part of the fruit.
wash the ackee fruit and boil them in a pot with the salt fish. as soon as the ackees are tender , sieve the contents of the pot to get rid of the hot water. separate the saltfish from the ackees so you can take the bones out of the
saltfish. boil the fish again for a further 10 minutes, put the butter & oil to heat in a frying pan, add the onions,thyme and hot pepper slices and tomato if desired. Stir for few minutes then add the flaked saltfish followed by the ackee
stir gently then add black pepper to taste.
