saltfish-fried-rice-recipe
Ackee and saltfish rice.

By Minna LaFortune

News Americas, NEWYORK, NY, Fri. April 15, 2016: One pot meals are the go-to meals for Caribbean nationals the world over. They are usually quick meals that are hearty, delicious and nutritious.

And yes, they are also comfort foods!

Some examples of one pot meals that are prepared in the Caribbean are:

Seasoned rice – white rice cooked with tomatoes and cod fish or with Ackee and Codfish.

Chicken or Fish Head Soup

Ital Stew

Macaroni and Corned Beef

Calaloo and Codfish And Rice

Oil Down

Pelau

Plantain Lasagna

Ackee and Codfish

Pizza

Steamed Fish with Steamed Bammy Or Jamaican Water Crackers

Cook-Up

One pot meals are prepared for several reasons: they are go-to meals when funds are low, or to utilize leftovers or to minimize the food preparation time so that time can be spent to take care of other tasks.

Today I will share with my favorite one pot meal recipe.

Recipe For Seasoned Rice (with Ackee And Saltfish)

Prepare Ackee and Codfish as follows:

Ackee and Codfish Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound boneless salted codfish

1/2 cup coconut oil

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 large onions, sliced

2 large tomatoes

4 scallions, chopped

1 cup sliced red bell peppers

1/4 Scotch bonnet pepper,

Two cans of Ackee, drained

3 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons of butter

Instructions

  1. Reduce the salt in the cod fish by soaking fish  in cold  water overnight.
  2. Drain, flake and set aside.
  3. Add fresh cold water and cook cod until tender.
  4. Flake in small pieces and put to the side.
  5. Drain canned Ackee in a colander and set aside.
  6. In a deep pot  sauté chopped onion, red bell pepper and tomatoes, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper in hot coconut oil until onion is transparent. Do not burn ingredients!
  7. Add flaked cod fish, and black pepper to saucepan.
  8. Gently fold in Ackee and sprinkle with remaining pepper.
  9. Add butter, scallion and thyme and simmer on low heat for five to 10 minutes

Rice

Add enough boiling water or chicken stock to cook two cups of Basmati white rice.

Add the prepared Ackee and codfish into pot and allow to steam until  rice is cooked.

Serves 4 persons

 Bon Appetite

minna-la-fortune
EDITOR’S NOTE: Minna LaFortune is a trained Caribbean caterer and also president, Society for the Advancement of the Caribbean Diaspora (SACD). Check out her food group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/bestfoodscaribbean/