Amongst the street coronation weekend parties there were many delicious dishes to be discovered.
Paul Causwell talks to Noni Needs about a favourite family dish that had humble beginnings but has ‘elevated itself’ through the generations.
Ackee and saltish is a traditional Jamaican dish and found at a Liss street party.
Ackee looks like scrambled egg but is a fruit you can buy in a tin. Full recipe below from Mr Causwell.
Paul Causwell’s Ackee and Saltfish
Ingredients
½ lb salted cod
3 spring onions
3 Onions, finely chopped
4 medium, ripe tomatoes, diced
4 Strips of crispy, fried streaky bacon
1 finely chopped SCOTCH BONNET pepper (or 2-3 hot green chillies if you can’t find Scotch Bonnets)
1 tin of ackees
Oil (vegetable – rapeseed is best but /sunflower is okay)
Black pepper
Method
Cover the salt cod in cold water and bring to a simmer for 25 minutes / until tender
Drain carefully and carefully remove any skin and bones, leaving large flakes of cod
In a shallow casserole or frying pan:
Fry the bacon until crispy and then remove the bacon from the pan
Add a couple of tablespoons of oil
Add the finely chop and gently fry off the 3 chopped onions, finely chopped scotch bonnet and the finely chopped spring onions. Gently fry off until the onions are translucent and golden brown
Add the diced tomatoes and gently cook on a low heat until the tomatoes are thoroughly cooked and the mix resembles a ragu sauce (20 – 30 mins)
Add the drained, flaked salted cod and heat through
Open and drain the tin of ackees (they’re pre-cooked). Gently (they break up easily) lay the ackees on the mix to heat through, then gently fold in trying not to break up the fruits.
Continue to heat through on a low heat until the fish and ackees are piping hot.
Transfer to your serving dish and crumble the crispy bacon on top to serve with some freshly ground black pepper.
