Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen's Ackee and Saltfish Bites

20 mins Prep Time

30 mins Cook Time

Written By

Robin Winship

Make Chubby's Jamaican Kitchen's original recipe for saltfish and ackee bites! Saltfish in Caribbean cuisine is a meaty white fish, such as cod, that has been dried and preserved with salt. Ackee on the other hand, is a fruit native to West Africa and is in the same family as lychee fruit. Ackee is actually poisonous when unripe and there is a very particular way to prepare the delicacy for consumption. In this recipe, the ackee used is canned. Loblaws carries canned ackee or you can use this reference here to find Caribbean grocery stores in the city.

Chubby's addictive version of Jamaica’s national dish -- the ackee and saltfish rests on top of a pillowy, fried dumpling that perfectly complements the tangy sweetness of the Caribbean ackee fruit and cured salted cod.

Note: All-purpose seasoning in Caribbean cuisine is a blend of several spices, check out a recipe for one here!

If you give this recipe a shot, make sure to post up your creation on Instagram and tag @tastetoronto and @chubbysjamaican!

Ingredients

Dumpling Base

2g unsalted butter
1g salt
4g granulated sugar
225g all-purpose flour
10g baking powder
Water, as needed
Olive oil, as needed

Ackee and Saltfish Topping

1g thyme, chopped
2g green onions, finely chopped
2g red bell pepper, julienned
1/2g Scotch Bonnet pepper, chopped
4g Spanish onion, julienned
2g Roma tomato, seeded and julienned
2g butter
2g garlic, chopped
4 mL olive oil
1g black pepper
200g canned ackee, drained and rinsed
150g salt cod saltfish base
1g all-purpose spices

Directions

Ackee and Saltfish Topping

6 Steps

Step 1

In a medium pan, heat oil and add the onions. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Step 2

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Step 3

Add the bell peppers, tomatoes and Scotch Bonnet peppers. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 4

Add the butter, allow to melt then add the salt cod and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 5

Add in the ackee, seasoning and black pepper, and gently fold into the mixture.
Step 6

Add thyme and green onions, and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside.

Dumpling Base

6 Steps

Step 1

In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and butter. Combine completely.
Step 2

Add water to the dry ingredients and mix into a smooth, soft dough. Let the dough rest for approximately 10 minutes.
Step 3

Once the dough has rested, shape the dough into 6 golf ball size pieces, flatten slightly with a dimple in the center of the dough.
Step 4

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 5

Place each piece of dumpling in the skillet and let cook until golden brown on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside in a tray lined with paper to absorb any excess oil.
Step 6

Cut each dumpling in half and assemble the bites by placing the ackee topping on each half.