Ackee and Saltfish
Updated: Sep 25
Description
Ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica, is native to West Africa and arrived with enslaved people in the 18th century — its buttery, egg-like flesh turns golden when cooked and absorbs the surrounding flavours while maintaining a soft, yielding texture.
Contry of Origin: Jamaica
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
300g salt cod (salted pollock or cod), soaked overnight in cold water (change water 2–3 times)
1 can (540g) ackee, drained
3 tbsp neutral oil or coconut oil
1 onion thinly sliced, 4 cloves garlic minced
1 red bell pepper diced, 1 green bell pepper diced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced (adjust to heat preference)
2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
2 spring onions, sliced
Black pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Directions
Prepare the Saltfish: Drain soaked salt cod. Place in a pot, cover with fresh cold water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, flake into large pieces, removing any skin and bones. Taste — it should be pleasantly salted, not overwhelming. Boil and drain again if still too salty.
Sauté the Aromatics: Heat oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
Add Peppers and Garlic: Add red and green bell pepper, garlic, and scotch bonnet. Cook for 3 minutes.
Add Tomatoes and Thyme: Add diced tomatoes and thyme sprigs. Cook for 3–4 minutes until tomatoes soften.
Add the Saltfish: Add flaked salt cod. Stir gently to combine. Cook 3 minutes until heated through.
Fold in the Ackee: Add drained ackee gently — use a folding motion to incorporate without mashing. Heat through for 2–3 minutes.
Finish and Serve: Remove thyme sprigs. Add spring onions and black pepper. Taste for seasoning (add salt only if genuinely needed). Serve immediately with boiled green bananas, dumplings, or hard dough bread.
Cooking Tips
Canned Ackee: Canned ackee is both widely available and perfectly appropriate. Drain and handle gently — the flesh is soft and collapses easily with rough handling.
Fresh Ackee: Only use fully ripe pods that have naturally opened on the tree. Never force open an ackee pod.
Salt Management: Between the saltfish and canned ackee, this dish can easily over-salt. Taste before adding any additional seasoning.
Nutrition Facts
(Estimated per serving, based on 6 servings)
Calories: ~340 kcal
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 60mg
Sodium: 780mg
Total Carbohydrates: 18g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 30g
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