Ackee and Fish
Description
Ackee and Fish - Authentic recipe from Jamaica. Ready in 50 min. Try it now!
Directions
✓ researched- 1
Soak 400 g of salted fish overnight, changing the water several times. Then cook, skin, debone, and flake into pieces.
⏱️ approx. 20 min💡 Tip: Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica's national dish. Soaking removes the salt from the stockfish; the ackee resembles scrambled eggs.
- 2
Dice 1 onion and 150 g of tomatoes and sauté in a little oil until soft. Optionally add bell pepper, thyme, allspice, and Scotch bonnet.
⏱️ approx. 10 min💡 Tip: This aromatic vegetable base provides depth of flavor. Allspice and thyme are hallmarks of Jamaican cuisine.
- 3
Gently fold in the stockfish and 300 g of ackee (canned, pre-cooked) and simmer briefly until everything is heated through. Stir the ackee only gently, as it breaks apart easily.
⏱️ approx. 8 min💡 Tip: Canned ackee is safe to eat — the raw, unripe fruit is toxic. Fold in carefully to preserve the ackee's shape.
📜 Origin & History
Ackee and Fish (English: Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish; Jamaican Patois: Ackee an' Saltfish) is Jamaica's national dish: the yellow, creamy lobes of the ackee fruit (Blighia sapida) are sautéed with salted cod (saltfish / Bacalao), onions, tomatoes, Scotch Bonnet chili, thyme, and green onions into a spicy pan dish. Ackee (Blighia sapida) originally comes from West Africa: Captain William Bligh brought ackee to Jamaica from Ghana in 1793 (hence the botanical name Blighia). The ackee fruit is poisonous when unripe – only the ripe, burst-open fruit is edible; its flesh has the consistency of soft-boiled eggs. Saltfish (salted cod) arrived in the Caribbean through the triangle trade: British merchants traded salted cod from Newfoundland for sugar and rum from Jamaica. Ackee and Saltfish is the typical Jamaican Sunday breakfast. In Germany, ackee in cans is available in Caribbean specialty stores; saltfish in specialty shops.
🌿 Regional variants
With Bacon
Add crispy bacon bits for extra savory richness.
Spicy
Scotch bonnet chili for the typical heat.
🍷 What goes with it?
Classically served as breakfast with fried plantains, festival, bammy, or hard dough bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ackee?
A West African fruit that is part of Jamaica's national dish; only the ripe, cooked fruit is edible — raw it is toxic.
What does the dish taste like?
The ackee resembles scrambled eggs, while the saltfish adds savory depth — a mildly salty, satisfying dish.
What is it served with?
Classically served as breakfast with fried plantains, festival, bammy, or hard dough bread.
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Ingredients
verified- Gesalzener Fisch400 g
- Ackee300 g
- Onion1 pcs
- Tomato150 g
