saltfish Archives | CaribbeanPot.com

Yet another version of String Beans as adapted from memories of growing up in the Caribbean. Pali (my nickname for Zyair Rook) and I were busy cleaning the weeds in the garden when we noticed that the beans we planted mid-spring had a bunch of beans ready for harvest. We harvested and cooked!

You’ll Need…

1 lb string beans
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 lb salted cod (prepared)
1 medium tomato (diced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
2 scallions (chopped)
1/2 bell pepper (sliced)
4 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4-6 cloves garlic (diced)

Note! If doing this recipe gluten free please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. I used Salted Cod, but you can use your fav dry/salted fish. There were no spicy peppers (like Scotch bonnet) used in the recipe as explained in the video below.

Learn how to prepare salted fish for use. << Click To Watch.

Wash the string beans, then remove the ends and discard. Chop or break into 1 to 2 inch pieces and set aside. For the Salted Cod, I placed it in a bowl then added boiling water onto it. When it was cool to touch I squeezed out the water, rinsed with cool water.. squeezed out that water and shredded it into bits. Note that I used boned (boneless) salted Cod, but I still kept an eye out for any bones.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pan on a medium flame, then add the prepared salted Cod, followed by the onion, garlic and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper (optional), thyme, scallions and should you decide to add any spicy pepper, do so now. Cook a further 3 minutes.

Turn the heat back up to medium and add the prepared String Beans (French beans will work too) and stir well.

Add the water and bring to a boil with the lid on.

Toss in the tomato, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on.

It’s now time to personalize things a bit. Check for salt and add if necessary, I didn’t add any as explained in the video, and should there still be liquid at the bottom of the pot, remove the lid (as I did) and cook a further 5 minutes with the lid off.

Personally I like the beans with a slight bit of body. We had it with Sada Roti in case you’re curious. But it’s just as delicious as a topping for steaming rice.

Seafood

Stewed Saltfish With Okra And Cabbage.

June 15, 2023May 25, 2023Leave a Comment

Another version of this CLASSIC Caribbean dish – Stewed saltfish! In this adaptation we’ll add chopped cabbage and a few ochroes (Okra) for additional body and flavor, as my grandma would. As a lil fella growing up on the islands, I had no luv for salted Cod (fish) and to be honest I’m sure my siblings and I gave mom hell whenever she would cook with it. However as I grew older I found that I truly appreciate how it can stand on it’s own and/or how much flavor it can add to dishes.

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb Salted Cod (prepared)
4 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 medium onion (sliced)
4-5 sprigs thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 bird’s eye pepper (optional)
2 tomatoes (diced)
8-10 small okra (trimmed)
1/2 small cabbage (rough chop)
2 scallions (chopped)

salt (see note below)

I purchased boned (bones removed) Salted Cod, but as I prepared it, I did pay attention for any bones which may still be present (remove).

I’d recommend preparing all of the ingredients first. In the case of the Salted Cod (any salted fish you decide to use), you can watch this video How To Prepare Salted Cod For Use. Basically you need to rehydrate it and during the process, remove most of the salt it was cured with.

With the okra, I trimmed off the stems and sliced the larger ones down the middle. Heat a wide saucepan on a medium heat, then add the oil, onion, garlic, black pepper, thyme and hot pepper (should you decide to use any – any hot pepper you like or have on hand will work). As you get a sizzle going, turn the heat down to low.

After about 4 minutes on that low heat, add the prepared Salted Cod to the mix and stir well. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Turn the heat to medium (so it comes up to a boil) now and add the tomato, cabbage and okra to the pot. Stir well to combine and coat everything with that delicious flavored oil we created. Cover the pot if you have a lid large enough and allow it to cook on a medium/low flame.

SALT! I did not add any salt to this dish as the remining salt in the salted Cod was enough for my liking, but I’d recommend tasting near the end and adjust accordingly.

Basically at this point all you need to do is cook the okra to your liking and you’re done. I gave it 6-7 minutes after adding the cabbage and okra. Top it with the scallions and turn off the heat. The residual heat will heat up the scallion and give it a lovely finishing note. This day I had this stewed saltfish with boiled eddoes and dasheen… my idea of comfort food.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

Incredible Saltfish Buljol (budget friendly).

May 28, 2025April 16, 2023Leave a Comment

While I did share a similar saltfish buljol recipe back in 2009, you’ll find subtle differences with this version, especially the price difference in using salted Pollock vs the Salted Cod I used in that version. With the current state of inflation and high prices in the supermarket, I trust you’ll appreciate this cheaper version of Saltfish Buljol. We’re NOT sacrificing flavors!

You’ll Need…

1 lb salted Pollock (salted Cod is traditionally used)
1 tomato (diced)
1 medium onion (sliced thin)
3 scallions (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/2 lime (juice)
1/2 medium carrot (grated)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 sprigs thyme (leaves only)

Important! I used an entire scotch bonnet pepper in this recipe, but you can cut back (or add more) to meet with your tolerance for heat. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go though all of the ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Unlike Salted Cod which needs to be soaked in cold water or boiled to remove the salt and rehydrate the fish, I find that all one needs to do with Pollock is to pour hot water from your kettle over it in a large bowl, allow it to soak until the water cools. Then all you’ll do next is drain, rinse with cool water and flake or shred as needed.

Please note that you can always refer to the video below if I didn’t explain anything fully or you’d like to tune in for my banter and tips.

The texture of the shredded salted fish is one of those things you can personalize to your own liking. In the past I’ve also put the saltfish into a food processor and got it really fine. As the Pollock soaked in the hot water I prepped the other ingredients, so it’s now time to assemble.

Place the prepped salted pollock into a large bowl (try to squeeze dry after rinsing), followed by everything except the oil and lime juice.

Before I forget… I used BONED (boneless) salted Pollock, but I still kept an eye out for any tiny bones as I shredded it.

Give it a good mix, then place a frying pan on a med/high heat and heat the oil until you start seeing smoke. Now pour this hot oil over everything and give it a good mix. The hot oil (this method is called chunkay) and it allows us to waken up the flavors of everything and also act as a means of helping those flavors combine in the oil (liquid).

The final thing to do is to drizzle on the lime (or lemon) juice to give it that citrus punch and to brighten things overall. TIP! Add some diced zabouca (avocado) in the mix and you can thank me later.

The question is always “what do you serve this with?”.. for me 4 things comes to mind immediately. Directly onto salted crackers as a snack. With plain old flour dumplings. A side to Dhal and Rice. Or served with boiled ground provisions or green cooking banana.

Yea, you can serve this warm or cold.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

Stewed Cabbage With Salted Cod.

June 12, 2022April 23, 2022Leave a Comment

Here’s another one of those CLASSIC Caribbean recipes enjoyed across the region. A dish where you can let your creativity run crazy, by adding ingredients you like (vegetables) or to simply clear out ends of vegetables you have unused in the fridge. As a side dish to roti, ground provisions or dumplings or served on hot steaming rice.

You’ll Need…

1/2 large cabbage (rough chopped)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cups prepared Salted Cod
1 onion (sliced)
3-4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 red and green Bell peppers (sliced)
1/2 medium carrot (julienne)
4-6 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Prep all the ingredients in advance so you can run through the recipe quickly. For the Salted Cod, you can boil for a few minutes or soak it overnight. Rinse and shred. Watch this video if you want to see step by step How Salted Cod Is Prepared.

In a wide pot medium flame, add the olive oil (use any oil you like).

Now add the prepared salted cod pieces. turn the heat down to low to bring out all that flavor. 2 minutes later add the thyme, garlic and the scotch bonnet pepper (be mindful to wear gloves and/or to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers). Toss in the onion and give everything a good mix.

Go in with the carrots, bell pepper and black pepper and stir well.

Four minutes later, turn the heat up to medium and add the cabbage. It may look like a lot, but it will wilt down as it cook. Mix well to combine all the flavors.

I didn’t use a lid, but you can if you wish to help speed up the cooking time/process. Stir a few times.

Now it’s time to personalize things. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The remaining salt in the Salted Cod meant I didn’t have to adjust anything. The other thing is, cook the cabbage to the consistency and texture you like. For me, five minutes after adding the cabbage it was to my liking.

Top with the parsley and turn off the heat (stir).

As classic as it gets and so simple to put together. While as a lil fella on the islands I never enjoy Cabbage, I always seem to have one sitting in our fridge in my adult years. From soups, to stews and stir-fry’s, it’s a great way to add texture and to stretch a dish. Takes on wicked flavors too! And speaking about flavors, the simple (now very expensive) Salted Cod can enhance any dish IMHO with that lovely flavor we so adore in the Caribbean.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

Boil And Fry Yam.

November 14, 2021November 11, 2021Leave a Comment

This is CLASSIC as it gets, when it comes to comfort food in my home growing up in the Caribbean. While my sisters never really cared for ground provisions (yam, dasheen, cassava, eddoes etc), my brother and I were just as our dad or at least tried to copy him in any way we could. To this day, this is still one of my favorite meals.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs Yam (white yam)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
tomato (diced)
onion (sliced thin)
scallions (chopped)
3 sprigs thyme
1 cup prepared salted cod (shredded)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 cloves garlic (diced or smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific #glutenfree dietary requirements.

Peel (use a pairing knife of potato peeler), wash and cut the yam into equal size pieces. Be mindful that the sticky sap may irritate your skin, so wear loves or coat your hands with vegetable oil to create a barrier. * Watch the video below to se how I did it.

Place in a pot covered with water and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the salt.

The variety of yam I used was tender in 12 minutes, others may take longer. Use a pairing knife to poke the yam and if there’s no resistance, its ready. Drain and set aside.

In a wide saucepan on a medium heat, add the oil, followed by the prepared salted cod. As you start hearing the sizzle, add the black pepper and butter (for a bit more rich flavor).

2 minutes later add the garlic, onion and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir well. Then add the tomato and the scallions.

5 minutes later, add the pre-boiled yam to the pan and stir well to coat the pieces of yam with the sauce.

At this point you’ll taste for salt and adjust.. keep in mind that while we did boil (prepared) the salted cod in water, it may still have a salty undertone.

As soon as the yam heats back through (about 5 minutes) you’re done! Enjoy as is.

However, when mom would make this for us, she would now crush the pieces of yam, so it’s like mashed (pong) yam and she’d serve it with hot Sada Roti. FURTHER! If you allow the yam to form a crust at the bottom by purposely keeping it on the stove and not stirring it. That crust is heavenly.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

Roast Breadfruit With Saltfish.

August 27, 2021August 11, 2021Leave a Comment

This dish is as CLASSIC as it gets when it comes to the culinary culture of the Caribbean. Our ancestors would rejoice with pride at seeing that so many centuries later, it still holds a special place in our hearts when it comes to comfort food. FYI Breadfruit (Pacific Islands) as with salted cod (Eastern Canada) , was brought to the Caribbean as a means to feed our forefathers who were slaves. And as you go from island to island you’ll see how we have all mastered making excellent dishes with both since then.

You’ll Need…

1 breadfruit (mature)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion (sliced)
3/4 cup prepared salted cod
1 clove garlic (sliced)
5 sprigs thyme
1 medium tomato (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 scallions (chopped)
1 habanero pepper (diced)

Important! Remember to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling spicy peppers (like habanero). If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

This is called a Coal Pot and it’s the traditional stove used in the Caribbean by our ancestors.

Fire roast the breadfruit (watch the video below to follow along) until it’s black and charred on the outside. Please note you can roast the breadfruit on your propane bbq or indoor grill. 350-400 F for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. On the open fire (as I did), roast for about 40-45 minutes and remember to rotate so all sides gets into contact with the flames/coals.

Allow it to cool, then using a knife, remove the charred (YES it will be BLACK and Burned – unless you used your indoor oven or grill) skin. Then remove the inner core and discard. Now slice into segments/wedges. I used a sheet of paper towel to hold onto it for easier peeling.

In a wide pan on a medium flame, add the olive oil and butter, then add the prepared salted cod and stir well. This will infuse the oil/butter with the salted cod flavor.

Add the black pepper and two minutes later add the onion, Habanero Pepper (I was out of scotch bonnet peppers), thyme and garlic. Stir well to make sure all those lovely flavors come together.

Next up, add the tomato and cook for another 3 minutes.

Lower the flame and add the roasted breadfruit pieces and mix well to soak up all the niceness in the pot. Remember to flip the pieces of the breadfruit as the side touching the bottom of the pan will start developing a crust.

4 minutes later add the scallions, give it another mix and cook for a last 3-4 minutes. I cooked it for 8 minutes (low heat) after adding the breadfruit to the pan. Now get ready to enjoy one of the most delicious and comforting meals you’ll ever have. Be kind to yourself and have some ripe avocado and Caribbean peppersauce on hand, to complete the meal.

Note that I didn’t add any salt to the dish as the remaining salt from the salted cod was enough for the entire dish for my liking. Taste and adjust accordingly.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

Stewed Pumpkin With Salted Cod.

May 28, 2025December 22, 20203 Comments

Here I am again, speaking about how much I HATED (my siblings too) pumpkin and squash as a kid growing up on the islands. Mommy tried, yea she did… but without any luck. She could not convince us.. even when she added “it’s good fuh yuh skin and complexion“. Today, it’s one of my favorite dishes, so much so that I grow them in my garden here in Canada every Spring.

You’ll Need…

5-7 lbs Pumpkin (sliced)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pimento Peppers (aka seasoning peppers)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 medium onion (sliced thin)
1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups prepared salted cod (boneless)

Important. If making this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

Wash, peel and slice the pumpkin thinly (watch the video below).

Prepare the salted cod. Boil and rinse or soak overnight in water. Drain, rinse and break into small pieces. Double check for any tiny bones, remove and discard.

In a big heavy pot on a medium heat, add the olive oil followed by the prepared salted cod and stir. Turn the heat to low (as it will go) and add the black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir well. Then in goes the onion, pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers) and the smashed garlic. Stir again to combine all of those flavors and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Go in with the Caribbean Green Seasoning – stir again. Heat still on low. A pinch of cumin (not mentioned in the ingredients list) if you want to add some additional flavor to the finished dish. I’m not the biggest fan of cumin so I don’t do as Mom would.

It’s time to start adding the sliced pumpkin to the pot. It will pile up, but as it cooks it will spring a lot of liquid and cook down. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil with the lid on.

Leave the lid off when it comes to a boil and you start seeing that liquid, top with the brown sugar and continue cooking on a medium heat with the lid off. At this point the pumpkin will start getting tender and break down.

The goal is to burn off all the liquid which will sprot naturally, and in the process the pumkin will go tender and packed with flavor.

After about 20-25 minutes, it’s time to turn the heat up a little and burn off all that liquid. It can take up to 1 hours for this to happed.

With all the liquid gone, you can smash any chunky pieces with the back of your spoon, taste and adjust the salt to your liking. I didn’t add any salt as the remaining salt in the salted cod was enough for my taste.

If you can’t source Caribbean Pumpkin, butternut squash will work just as good.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

Not Grandma’s Stewed Saltfish (stewed salted cod).

July 6, 2020June 14, 2020Leave a Comment

I’ve shared countless recipes featuring the use of saltfish (Salted Cod) over the years, as it’s used a flavor enhancer to MANY dishes in the Caribbean. However, stewed on it’s own.. being the STAR of the recipe is what allows us to really appreciate the humble salted codfish. From our colonized past and slavery, we’ve perfected the art of making humble food, tasty and comforting.

You’ll Need…

3/4 lb prepared salted Cod (any salted fish will work)
8 tomatoes (ripe)
1 bell pepper (cut into strips)
2 pimento peppers (optional – sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoon parsley chopped
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
3 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup olives
5 sprigs thyme
3 + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 tablespoon tomato paste

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. I used boned (bones and skin removed) salted cod as it makes for
easier work. But do go though and make sure there’s no bones left back during processing.

Roast the tomatoes over a charcoal or propane flame, or you can also roast them in your oven. Roast on direct heat for about 5-10 minutes.

Set the roasted tomatoes aside to cool down in a bowl, then remove the skins and discard along with the core/stems. Save the juices which accumulate at the bottom of the bowl. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Prep the other ingredients. (chop, dice, smash)

Prepare salted cod and set aside. (soak in water overnight or boil in water, drain and shred into chunks.. explained further in the video below) .

Heat a wide pan on medium heat, then go in with the olive oil, followed by the onion, garlic, thyme and black pepper and drop the heat to low to gently cook. Give it a toss, then add the bits of slated cod.

3 minutes later add the scotch bonnet, pimento and bell peppers. Mix well to combine everything. Take the heat back up to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Remember to NOT use any of the seeds nor white membrane surround the seeds from the Scotch Bonnet or it will be SPICY! Be sure to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.

Now add the chopped roasted tomato (and juices) and stir well. Add the capers and olives.. and bring back to a boil. Go in with the tomato paste for a bit of color, sweetness and to help create a lovely sauce. Cook with the lid on.. as it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Taste for salt and adjust. I didn’t add any as the salted cod will have some salt remaining and capers can be a bit salty as well. Turn off the stove, top with the remaining olive oil and parsley.

While not a ‘traditional’ way of making Stewed Salted Cod in the Caribbean, I dedicate this version to my ancestors, who paved the way for me to make and enjoy such stunning food. Serve with boiled ground provisions (cassava, yam, dasheen, eddoes, sweet potatoes green banana), roasted or steamed breadfruit, bread, rice or rock it on flour dumplings or even pasta.

Gluten Free Seafood Vegan Vegetarian

Stewed Honey Nut Squash Recipe.

May 28, 2025March 13, 2019Leave a Comment

Yea, Honey Nut Squash is new to me too! I had never seen nor heard of it until I was at a local market and the name caught my attention. And even when I posted a clip of me cooking this on Instagram, I had a ton pf people correcting me “it’s butternut squash” so I knew it was kinda unique to many. Like any spinach (greens) type leafy vegetable, I’m also a HUGE fan of all squash and pumpkin, so they came home with me.

You’ll Need…

3 small honey nut squash (peel | cubed)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (diced)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning
3/4 cup prepared salted cod
1/4 teaspoon salt

Note: I did this recipe with salted Cod, but if you wanted to leave that ingredient out and have this fully vegan or vegetarian, you can certainly do so. Additionally, if doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Peel (the skin will be tough), core and dice the squash, then place it in a bowl covered with cool water. This will prevent it from going discolored.

Place a heavy pot (one with a lid) on a medium flame and heat the olive oil, then turn down the heat and add the diced onion and garlic, along with the black pepper. Cook on low for 2-3 minutes. Then add the Prepare Salted Cod to the pot and stir well. Followed by the Caribbean Green Seasoning and stir.. heat still on low.

It’s now time to crank-up the heat to med-high and start adding the cubed squash pieces to the pot. be sure to stir well to combine all the flavors we started with.

Heat at medium now, add the brown sugar and cover the pot.

After about 3-5 mins (watch the video below) you’ll notice that the Honey Nut Squash got a lot of it’s own natural liquid… add the salt, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 20 – 24 mins, stirring occasionally.

It should be fully cooked at this point and falling apart. Here’s where you can personalize things a bit. Check for salt and adjust. I used a little salt as I know the remaining salt in the salted cod would help season things nicely. I then turned the heat up to med/high to burn off the liquid (I like a dry squash wen cooked.. you may like it a bit runny) and I used the back of my spoon to crush any solid pieces. It took another 5-7 minutes to get to the consistency and texture I like.

If salted cod is not your thing, you can add some seasoned shrimp the final 5 minutes of cooking.. you can thank me later. I usually eat this as a typical vegetable side or on days when I want to be taken back to the islands.. I get some hot roti.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Seafood

Yam With Stewed Saltfish.

October 11, 2016October 11, 20161 Comment

This is one fella you can take out of the Caribbean, but you can never take the “Caribbean” out of him. I’ve had the opportunity to dine in various countries / restaurants around the world and while many of the dishes I’ve experienced we’re definitely tasty, I will always head back ‘home’ to the islands when I need something comforting. Such is the case when I eat dishes containing yam, dasheen, green banana, eddoes, cassava and other ingredients we refer to as being ‘provision’. I’ll always remember weekends when mom would prepare this dish for me, my brother and dad.. my sisters we’re somewhat picky eaters.

You’ll Need…

1 Yam 3-4 lbs (white yam)
1 cup salted cod (prepared)
1/2 onion (sliced)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic (diced)
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 sprigs thyme
10 cherry tomatoes (or 1 large – sliced)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional.. no seeds)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scallion (chopped)

Note: I’ve posted this recipe under Gluten Free (as well), so kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific Gluten Free dietary needs.

Demo: How To prepare Salted Cod (Saltfish)

Prepare the salted cod (soak, boil, drain, rinse and shred) and set aside.

Peel the yam (please get actual yams and NOT sweet potatoes some people refer to as being yams). Try West Indian, Asian and Latin markets.. ask for soft boiling white yam. The variety I used was from Africa, which cooks very fast. Then cut into large pieces, cover with water and bring to a boil. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt to the water when it comes to a boil. Cook on a rolling boil until the yam is tender, but not falling apart. It can take between 20-30 minutes depending on how large the pieces are and the variety of yam you get. TIP! Some yams may cause skin irritation when peeling, so I’d suggest wearing gloves or coating your hands with some vegetable oil when peeling/handling.

As the yam boils, prepare the other ingredients.

Poke the yam pieces with a pairing knife… if there’s no resistance, they’re fully cooked. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil on a medium flame in a wide pan, then ad the shredded salted cod to the pan. Lower the heat to low and cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Then add the onion and garlic and cook (on low) for another 2-3 minutes. Then turn up the heat to medium and add all the other ingredients and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Toss in the cooked yam pieces and mix well, to coat with the stewed salted fish.

You have a couple options here. You can mix well, heat though and you’re done. Or you can cook a bit longer and allow the yam pieces to develop a sort of crust (my fave). You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to the dish as the yam was cooked in salted water and the remaining salt from the salted fish will be enough – but you can adjust to your own liking. Add as much Caribbean Sunshine (Scotch Bonnet) as you can handle and do remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

This is definitely COMFORT on a plate for me. If you can’t source Yams, you can use Taro/Dasheen, cassava, green cooking bananas, eddoes, sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes would work.

Gluten Free Seafood

Asparagus In Stewed Salted Cod.

June 28, 2016June 20, 2016Leave a Comment

After moving to Canada I was exposed to many ‘new’ ingredients, which were not found in the typical Caribbean garden or market. One such ingredient which became an immediate hit with my taste buds was asparagus. Normally I’d grill them, but early in the season when it’s still a bit too cold to go outside and spark up the grill, I like doing this sort of stew (stir-fry for many). Based on the method we use for making a saltfish (salted cod) stew in the Caribbean, this is certainly one of the best ways to enjoy asparagus.

You’ll Need..

1 cup prepared saltfish (salted cod)
1/2 large onion
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 Cubanelle pepper (or bell)
1 lb asparagus
2 tablespoon veg oil (olive or coconut is better)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8-10 cherry tomatoes
2 scallions
3-4 sprigs thyme

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

CLICK HERE to learn how to prepare salted cod (salted fish) for everyday use in dishes.

Prepare the salted cod (or dry salted fish of choice). Basically you’ll soak in water or boil to re-hydrate and remove most of the salt it’s cured in. Then shred into small pieces and set aside.

Now prepare the other ingredients. Remove the woody ends of the asparagus (and discard), then cut into 1 inch pieces. Chop the onion, pepper and scallion. Finely chop the garlic and slice the cherry tomatoes in half. You can use a large tomato cubed if you want.

Heat the oil on a low flame in a wide pan, then add the pieces of prepared salted cod and cook on LOW for about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic, thyme and black pepper and cook gently for another 2 minutes. Then turn up the heat to medium and add the sliced onion, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, now go in with all the other ingredients and cook on med-high for 3-5 minutes.

You can personalize this dish according to how ‘cooked’ you like your asparagus. I personally like them with a little crunch, so this cooking time was enough. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to the dish as the residual salt from the fish was enough for my liking. Feel free to adjust.

Do you have a favorite way of preparing asparagus? I’d love to hear about it in the comment section below.

Breakfast Gluten Free Seafood

Ultimate Caribbean Breakfast Recipe.

May 28, 2025October 15, 20151 Comment

Breakfast was usually a grab and go routine for me as a young fella on the islands during the week, as I went to school in the city and it meant leaving our sleepy village very early in the morning. I had to take a 2nd taxi (shared) when I got into San Fernando (2nd largest city in Trinidad) to make it in time for the first bell. So weekends was when mom would go all out with whatever we wanted for breakfast. Now this sort of breakfast was never included as I only developed a liking for many of the ingredients you’ll see me use, during my travels across the Caribbean as an adult. However the dish itself represents the sort of satisfying breakfast you’d find across the West Indies, especially on the weekends.

You’ll Need…

4 green cooking bananas (cooked)
1-2 cups prepared salted fish (Cod)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup diced bell pepper
4 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 large shallot (or 2 cloves garlic & 1 small onion)
1 can ackee (drain / rinsed)
2 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 small okra (cut in half – length)
6 cups Jamaican callaloo (trimmed/shredded)

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Video Tutorials:

How To Prepare Jamaican Callaloo For Cooking

How To Shop For, Cook And Peel Green Bananas.

How To Prepare Salted Fish

Please use the video tutorials above to prepare the necessary ingredients. If using canned ackee as I did, be gentle and rinse with cool water to get rid of the brine it’s packaged in and set aside. On a medium flame, heat the olive oil (or coconut) and add the diced shallot and thyme. Lower the heat to low and let it cook gently for 3 minutes.

With your heat still on low, add the prepared salted cod and the black pepper and continue cooking for 3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the cut/trimmed ockra and scotch bonnet pepper (remember to use as much as you can handle and don’t use any seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat). Stir well and cook for a couple minutes.

It’s now time to add the prepared Jamaican callaloo (chorai bhaji) and stir well. It will look like it will overflow, but it will shrink (wilt) down as it cooks. Add all the other ingredients, except the cooked green bananas and ackee and mix well.

After 5 Minutes, add the cooked green bananas (cut into 1 inch pieces) and mix well. Then GENTLY fold in the ackee. Please be gentle as it’s very tender and can fall apart very easily. Warm trough and combine the flavors and you’re basically done.

An amazing one pot Caribbean breakfast beast served (enjoyed) hot. Feel free to add other types of ground provisions to the mix (like yams, dasheen, cassava etc) and be sure to have some slices of fried plantains on the side with some coconut bake or johnny cakes.

saltfish

String Beans With Tomato And Saltfish.

Stewed Saltfish With Okra And Cabbage.

Incredible Saltfish Buljol (budget friendly).

Stewed Cabbage With Salted Cod.

Boil And Fry Yam.

Roast Breadfruit With Saltfish.

Stewed Pumpkin With Salted Cod.

Not Grandma’s Stewed Saltfish (stewed salted cod).

Stewed Honey Nut Squash Recipe.

Yam With Stewed Saltfish.

Asparagus In Stewed Salted Cod.

Ultimate Caribbean Breakfast Recipe.

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