Ackee & Saltfish

I just came back from Jamaica and if you think I ate enough ackee & saltfish, you guessed wrong! It’s my favorite Jamaican breakfast ever and I’ll never get tired of it. Although many eat it for breakfast or brunch, this is a meal that can be enjoyed any time of the day! Over the years this was a meal that my mother made on Saturday mornings. It was really a treat! Whenever I smelled the codfish boiling on the stove, I knew exactly what was coming next!

Important Facts about Ackee

-Ackee is Jamaica’s national fruit

-Ackee & Saltfish is Jamaica’s national dish

-Ackee grows on trees, and blooms like a flower when it is ready to eat. The ackee fruit reveals beautiful, black seeds when it blooms.

-The seeds and flesh of the fruit are discarded and the meat is what is consumed.

-Ackee can be poisonous if consumed before it has ripened. If the fruit is forced open and has not bloomed on its own, there could be serious health consequences if it is eaten.

-The Ackee fruit has origins in West Africa but has made its way to the Caribbean where it now grows both in the wild and is harvested for commercial consumption.

I typically purchase canned ackee from the supermarket, from any of these brands: Linstead Market, Grace, or Jamaican Choice. I choose the “Ackee in Brine” over “Ackee in Salt Water” because I want to reduce the amount of salt in the dish.

Choosing Saltfish

Salted codfish is the gold standard for this dish and it comes in many forms. Sometimes it is dried, or it is packaged and sold. You can opt for boneless or bone-in codfish. Another alternative that you can also use is salted pollock. It gets the job done as well!

Here’s a few videos to get you on your way to making your own Ackee & Saltfish with fried dumpling!