Antigua Saltfish Recipes

FISH AND FUNGI VIRGIN ISLANDS STYLE

Steps:

• Place fish with all ingredients into a saucepan and cook gently until fish is cooked, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Place frozen okra in boiling water. Cook until just barely tender.
• In a medium size saucepan, bring 2½ cups water to a boil.
• To make fungi that is free of lumps, mix about ¼ cup of the cornmeal with ¾ cup water in a separate small bowl. Then, add this mixture back into the larger pot of boiling water.
• Let cornmeal cook for about a minute, then add the rest of the cornmeal into the pan in a slow steady stream, while stirring constantly.
• Add hot cooked okra to cooked cornmeal. Stir well.
• Then, stir in the butter, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Simmer for about 5 minutes more.

FUNGIE AND PEPPERPOT

Steps:

• Place water, okra and salt in a pan. Bring to boil until okras are cooked. Remove half the liquid. Stir with a wooden spoon. The corn meal is mixed to a pasty batter by adding cold water then stirring & mixing this.
• Add wet corn meal. Reduce the heat, stir continuously with a wooden spoon until mixture becomes fairly stiff.
• When the mixture breaks away cleanly from the pan (i.e it does not stick), the fungee is ready. Butter a bowl, turn the mixture into the bowl, shaking it into the shape of the bowl, then turn it out into a serving dish.
• Serve hot with Pepper Pot, boiled fish or stew.
• Pepper Pot Preparation.
• Wash all leaves and vegetables in salted water. Place cut vegetables; eggplant, squash and leaves to soak in fresh water Cook salted meat in water with no salt for 10 minutes.
• Remove and drain. Heat vegetable cooking oil. Add salt meats. Fry for about 15 minutes, add onions and fresh meats. Fry for another 5 minutes.
• Add all vegetables, except peas. Stir. Add just enough water to cover and cook the vegetables till tender. When the vegetables and meat are cooked, add the peas along with all seasonings.
• Allow all ingredients to simmer under low fire for approximately 15 minutes or until thick. Serve with okra fungee rolled in butter or margarine.

PICK-UP SALTFISH

Steps:

• 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.

ACKEE & SALTFISH

Steps:

• Put the salt cold in your pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then boil for 5 minutes, drain and add fresh cold water to cover.
• Repeat this process until you're happy with the saltiness when tasted; we recommend to boil the fish three times in total for a perfect balance of salt in the fish. Drain and leave to cool. Use a fork to shred the salted cod into pieces and set aside.
• Now you'll need a large frying pan. Pour the vegetable oil into the frying pan and place over a high heat. Once the oil is sizzling hot, turn the heat down to low-medium. Add the onion, garlic, spring onions and scotch bonnet, then cook until soft, for around 5-7 minutes.
• Add the salted cod, dash in some black pepper, thyme and pimento, then mix it together and cook down for around 3 minutes.
• Next, add in the red and green bell peppers, along with your tomato. Mix together and cook down for 2-3 minutes. These ingredients help to bring a heat balance, so it's not too spicy.
• Now you'll need to add in your ackee and dash in a little more black pepper. Fold in the ackee; the ackee is soft so it's important to fold it in very gently - nobody likes mushy ackee.
• Once folded in, simmer for 3-5 minutes before serving.