Categories
Caribbean Recipes

Saltfish: A staple in the Caribbean

Saltfish

Saltfish is a staple throughout the Caribbean, providing a rich, salty flavor for simple dishes like fritters, steamed callaloo, and rice. This dish is called “pick-up saltfish” because the salt cod is pulled apart and shredded. It’s made into a salad that’s eaten for breakfast or brunch with coconut bake or crackers. It’s a good party snack, too.

The salt cod needs to soak overnight, so start this recipe a day ahead. Salt cod is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. 

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 12-ounce piece dried salt cod (with skin and bones)
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, minced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, seeded, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced seeded Scotch bonnet chile or habanero chile
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, peeled, chopped
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced

PREPARATION

Rinse salt cod with cold water. Place fish in large bowl; cover with cold water. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 24 hours, changing water once. Drain.

Place fish in large skillet; cover with cold water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fish flakes easily, about 50 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Using fingers, shred fish, discarding skin and bones. Measure 11/2 cups shredded fish and place in medium bowl (reserve any remaining fish for another use). Add onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, lime juice, lime peel, and chile to fish and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mound salad in center of platter. Sprinkle with chopped egg. Surround with avocado slices and serve.

Categories
Caribbean Recipes

Conch Fritters

 

Ingredients

  • Fritters:
  • 1 quart oil for frying
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • ground cayenne pepper to taste
  • seasoned salt to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup chopped conch meat
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  •  
  • Dipping Sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
 

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
  2. In a bowl, mix the flour, egg, and milk. Season with cayenne pepper, seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Mix in the conch meat, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic.
  3. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
  4. In a bowl, mix the ketchup, lime juice, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Serve dipping sauce on the side with the fritters.
 

Footnotes

  • Conch can be replaced with any seafood. We tried last week ‘Calamari Fritters,” following the same recipe but replacing conch with chopped calamari… it turned out awesome! We cannot wait to try it with shrimp or crab meat.
  • We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 220 | Total Fat: 13.6g | Cholesterol: 47mg