Saltfish and Ackee with Fried Dumplings
Aug 8, 2023
"Even though my family isn’t from Jamaica, I grew up eating ackee and saltfish: a dish of salt cod mixed with ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica. Our neighborhood in the Bronx was a community of Caribbean immigrants. When we had block parties, Easter brunches, and barbecues, the smorgasbord of food was epic. To this day, it is one of my favorite breakfast/brunch dishes. It’s actually pretty simple to make as long as you can get your hands on the main ingredients. In this dish, I match it up with some simple fried dumplings on the side.
When cooked, it may look like scrambled eggs, but ackee is actually a fruit that grows on a tree. When it is ripe, the ackee is picked from the tree, the seeds are taken out, and the fruit is canned for sale. It typically comes in a 15-ounce can that can be found in the Caribbean or international aisle of your local grocery store. Ackee can be a little pricey, but if you ask me, it’s totally worth it." -- Leanna
This recipe was shared by Leanna in Episode 8 of Season 2 of The Great American Recipe.
When cooked, it may look like scrambled eggs, but ackee is actually a fruit that grows on a tree. When it is ripe, the ackee is picked from the tree, the seeds are taken out, and the fruit is canned for sale. It typically comes in a 15-ounce can that can be found in the Caribbean or international aisle of your local grocery store. Ackee can be a little pricey, but if you ask me, it’s totally worth it." -- Leanna
This recipe was shared by Leanna in Episode 8 of Season 2 of The Great American Recipe.
- Course
- Entree
Ingredients
For the Saltfish and ackee:
- 1 pound boneless salted cod or pollock fillets
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 small red or white onion, chopped
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, minced
- 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can ackee in salt water, drained
For the Fried dumplings:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon iodized salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup whole milk
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
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In a medium pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the salted fish and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the water, leaving the fish in the pot. Add 3 quarts fresh water, bring to a boil again, and boil for another 5 minutes. Repeat this process up to 6 times. (The purpose of this process is to boil out the excess salt from the fish. Pinch a small piece of the fish after boiling to make sure you like it. If it is still too salty, just repeat until it tastes the way you like it.) Drain and transfer the fish to a medium bowl. Using a fork, flake the fish into small pieces.
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While the fish is boiling, start the dumplings. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour, the brown sugar, baking powder, salt, water, and melted butter. Using your hands, mix until everything is fully incorporated. Add the the milk and remaining 1 cup flour and mix, using your hands, until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Divide the dough into 12 equal balls, slightly larger than a golf ball.
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In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about ½ inch oil over medium heat to 350–375 degrees F. Working in batches as necessary, fry the dumplings, turning often, until golden brown all over, 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tomato, onion, scallion, garlic, and Scotch bonnet pepper and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the flaked fish and black pepper and sauté for another 2–3 minutes. Add the ackee and sauté for 4 minutes. Serve warm with the dumplings.
