Saltfish so sweet

SALTED FISH or bacalao, has fallen from grace on our twin islands, the younger generation is clueless to the preparation, or has not had a good culinary experience with this indigenous ingredient.

When I teach classes, the mention of saltfish brings wide-eyed surprise and most times contorted facial expressions!

What a shame I say, it’s one of my favourite foods. Who can resist a good saltfish accra, or a stewed saltfish with provisions. What about saltfish buljol served up with a buttery slice of avocado and a flaky fried bake?

The supply of salted cod has decreased considerably on the world market due to over fishing. Today the fish that is mainly salted is pollock, a poor cousin to cod, but useful nonetheless.

It’s easy to prepare salted fish, simply soak for about 20 minutes, and repeat. Squeeze out excess water and flake. Because the fish is not as heavily salted these days, lots of soaking is not necessary.

The next time you are shopping in the supermarket, don’t pass that salted Pollock up, take home a package and try it in any one of these sumptuous recipes.

Stewed saltfish

4 tbs olive oil

1 lb saltfish, washed and soaked see note

1 lb ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 pimento pepper

2 cloves garlic chopped

4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

hot pepper, optional

lime

Heat oil in a sauté pan, add onions, garlic and pepper, sauté until fragrant, add saltfish and stir and fry until the saltfish has become mixed in well with the onions in the pot.

Add the tomatoes and stir, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Serve with boiled provisions.

Cassava and saltfish cookup

If you have leftover stewed saltfish and boiled cassava, the next day add some olive oil to a frying pan, heat, add the left over salt fish with some additional sliced onions if you prefer, heat well, now cut the cassava into one-inch pieces and add it to the saltfish, cook until mixture is dry turning frequently until cassava is brown and crusty and all the pan juices are dried up. Serve with pepper sauce and enjoy!

Saltfish buljol

½ lb saltfish

½ fresh lime, juiced

2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 large onions, chopped very fine

4 tbs olive oil

½ large bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips, or chopped fine

2 hard-boiled eggs

8 lettuce leaves, washed and dried

1 small avocado, sliced

Cut the saltfish into chunks and soak in warm water, overnight.

Drain and flake fish.

Add lime juice to saltfish and rinse, cover the fish with warm water again and let soak for 30 mins.

Rinse fish and taste for salt, if there is too much salt, let soak for another 30 minutes. (Alternatively place the fish in a sauce pan, cover with cold water, boil and remove fish, taste for salt and repeat if necessary.)

Drain fish, bone and flake.

Place fish on a serving platter.

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, add onion and sauté for 2 minutes, add tomatoes and remove from heat. If you rather your onions raw you can add them to the saltfish uncooked.

Add onion mixture to saltfish, add peppers and toss. Mound saltfish in middle of platter.

Peel the eggs, and cut into quarters.

Place lettuce around saltfish, place eggs on lettuce around saltfish and place avocado around saltfish. Drizzle on the remaining 2 tbs olive oil over the buljol.

Serves 6

Serve with fried bakes, pepper sauce and additional olive oil.

Green fig and saltfish pie

1 lb salted cod, soaked in warm water and rinsed about twice

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb tomatoes, chopped

2 onions, peeled and sliced

hot pepper

¼ cup olive oil

1 lb green figs, boiled and peeled

2 tbs butter

½ cup milk

Salt to taste

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in sauté pan, sauté onions with garlic until tender about 5 minutes, squeeze all the excess moisture from the salted fish, add to pan, stir and fry for a few minutes more.

Add tomatoes and hot pepper and stir, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile crush the figs add butter and milk, season with salt.

Grease a medium casserole dish, place a layer of figs at the bottom.

Cover with salt fish and cover with remaining figs.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 20 minutes until golden.

Saltfish accras

½ lb salted cod, washed and soaked overnight in lime

1 lime

1 large onion, grated

1 pimento pepper seeded and chopped

½ cup chopped chives

2 tbs French thyme

1 tbs chopped celery

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ cup milk

Wash saltfish in lime juice and water, strip and squeeze.

Place in a mixing bowl, add onion, pepper, thyme, chives, celery, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add flour and baking powder, mix.

Add enough milk to make a thick batter, add more milk if needed.

Preheat oil and drop by spoonful’s the size of a small egg.

Fry until golden, drain.

Makes 15