12


Salt Cod and Ackee
 
Kevin Kraditor, Sep 2002
The Hoodlums gathered for their monthly work trip on the AT last month, and the theme was Jamaica.  I was fortunate enough to have a Jamaican intern working in my office this summer, so I invited her along to help out on the trail and to help me prepare an authentic Jamaican meal.  Luckily, she enjoys cooking and was able to teach me to make the Jamaican national dish – salt fish and ackee.  Unfortunately, she could not join us on the trail due to a previous engagement.
I have never been to Jamaica (physically) and had never heard of this dish, nor had I heard of the soft, sweet fruit that I have come to know as ackee.  In Jamaica, ackee grows in abundance, and is readily available.  It is rather difficult to find in the US, and is only available in cans, but Damaliah (my Jamaican friend) told me that because the fruit must be boiled before it can be eaten, very little authenticity is lost in the translation.  The dish is fairly easy to make; the recipe follows.
Ingredients:
• 1 lb salt-cod, cut into sections to fit in a pot
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 large onion, half-inch dice
• 1 green pepper, half-inch dice
• 2 med tomatoes, half-inch dice (do not peel or seed, retain liquid with tomatoes)
• 5 scallions, sliced
• 1 14oz can ackee
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
• additional thyme sprigs for garnish
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups rice (I used long grain brown)
• 1 can coconut milk (10 oz?)
• 1 can dark red kidney beans (10 oz?)
• 1 scallion, sliced
• salt and pepper
Preparations:
• In a large pot, bring enough water to cover the fish to a boil.  Add salt-cod to boiling water, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, remove the fish from the water and place under cold running water until the fish is cool enough to handle.  Break the fish into bite-sized pieces with your hands and reserve.
• While the fish is boiling, heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add the onion, green pepper, tomatoes, and scallion. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and green pepper are tender (about 20 minutes).
• Also while fish is boiling, empty the cans of coconut milk and kidney beans into a medium-sized pot.  Add the rice and stir together.  Add the scallion, salt and pepper, and just enough water to cover the rice by an inch or so (this is the tricky part).  Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• After the onion/green pepper/tomato mixture has cooked about 20 minutes, add the can of ackee and all of its liquid to the skillet.  Cook until liquids have blended (about 10 minutes) then add the pieces of salt-cod to the skillet.  Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes.  Serve the rice and the fish separately on the plate and garnish with thyme sprigs.  Serves about 6.
Enjoy,