Ackee and Saltfish

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Put the salted cod in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes to remove excess salt and soften the fish. Drain well, then when cool enough to handle, flake into bite-size pieces, discarding any skin or bones.

   200 g salted cod1.5 litres water
2. 2

   While the cod cooks, drain the ackee carefully and prep the vegetables: slice the onion and bell pepper, chop the tomato, finely chop the scotch bonnet, pick the thyme leaves, and slice the spring onions. Handle the ackee gently so the pieces stay as intact as possible.

   280 g tinned ackee, drained120 g onion, thinly sliced100 g green bell pepper, thinly sliced100 g tomato, chopped5 g scotch bonnet, deseeded and finely chopped2 g fresh thyme leaves30 g spring onions, sliced
3. 3

   Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, tomato, scotch bonnet, thyme, and black pepper. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens and the tomato starts to break down, but the peppers still keep a little texture.

   15 ml olive oil120 g onion, thinly sliced100 g green bell pepper, thinly sliced100 g tomato, chopped5 g scotch bonnet, deseeded and finely chopped2 g fresh thyme leaves1 g black pepper
4. 4

   Add the flaked cod to the pan and toss gently for 2 minutes to coat it in the vegetable mixture. Taste a small piece before adding any salt; the cod is usually salty enough on its own.

   200 g salted cod
5. 5

   Fold in the drained ackee and most of the spring onions. Cook very gently for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan or turning with a spoon instead of stirring hard so the ackee does not mash. The dish is ready when the ackee is heated through and still holds soft curds.

   280 g tinned ackee, drained30 g spring onions, sliced
6. 6

   Scatter over the remaining spring onions and serve immediately. Traditionally, this is excellent with fried dumplings, boiled green banana, roasted breadfruit, or plain rice.

   30 g spring onions, sliced

Origin & History

Ackee and Saltfish is widely regarded as Jamaica's national dish, combining West African ackee with preserved cod introduced through colonial trade routes. The dish reflects the island's history of migration, adaptation, and resourceful cooking, turning imported saltfish and local produce into a beloved staple.