Stewed saltfish

Ingredients

Saltfish

• 500 gsalted cod, on the bone or thick fillet
• 2 tbspcoconut oil
• 2onions (300 g), sliced
• 1red sweet pepper, sliced
• 3tomatoes (300 g), chopped
• 4garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tbspfresh thyme leaves
• 3spring onions, chopped
• 1 tbsptomato ketchup
• ½Scotch bonnet, deseeded and minced
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 200 mlwater

Spicy plantains

• 3ripe plantains, skins heavily blackened, cut into 2 cm diagonals
• 2 tbspcoconut oil
• 1 tspminced Scotch bonnet
• 1 tbspbrown sugar
• ½ tspsalt

Coconut dumplings

• 250 gplain flour
• 60 gfreshly grated coconut, or desiccated coconut soaked 10 min in 3 tbsp hot water
• 1 tspbaking powder
• ½ tspsalt
• 1 tspsugar
• About 120 ml water

Directions

1. Soak the salt cod in plenty of cold water for 12–24 hours, changing the water three times. Then simmer it 15 minutes, drain, and taste a flake: it should be pleasantly salty, not fierce. Flake it coarsely, discarding skin and bone.
2. Rub the flour, coconut, baking powder, salt and sugar together, add water gradually and knead 3 minutes to a firm, smooth dough. Rest it 15 minutes covered.
3. Roll the dough into thumb-thick ropes and cut 5 cm lengths, or roll into balls and press flat between your palms into the classic spinner shape.
4. Drop the dumplings into a wide pan of boiling salted water and simmer 18–20 minutes until they float and a skewer comes out clean; they should be dense and chewy, not fluffy.
5. Meanwhile heat the coconut oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat and soften the onion, sweet pepper and garlic 8 minutes without colouring.
6. Add the tomato, thyme, spring onion, ketchup, Scotch bonnet and black pepper, and cook 10 minutes until the tomato collapses into a loose sauce and the oil separates at the edges.
7. Fold in the flaked saltfish with the water, cover and stew on low for 12–15 minutes so the fish drinks up the sauce. Do not stir hard or the flakes shred to threads. Taste before adding any salt; it will usually need none.
8. For the plantains, fry the pieces in coconut oil over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes a side until dark gold, then toss with the sugar, minced pepper and salt for 1 minute until sticky and lightly caramelised.
9. Plate the stewed saltfish with the dumplings alongside and the hot spicy plantains over the top.

Technique

• This trio, stewed saltfish with spicy plantains and coconut dumplings, is the recognised national dish of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the three parts are always served together.
• The overnight soak is not optional and a boil alone will not do it: salt cod is cured to about 20 percent salt and unsoaked fish is inedible.
• Use plantains that look ruined, black-skinned and soft. Yellow plantains stay starchy and will not caramelise against the chilli.
• Dumpling dough must be worked firm and rested. Overhandled or wet dough gives slimy dumplings that break up in the pot.

Substitutions

• Salted pollock or ling is the usual cheaper cure in the islands and works identically; reduce the soak to 12 hours as it is thinner.
• No fresh coconut? 60 g desiccated coconut rehydrated in hot water gives nearly the same chew in the dumplings.
• Coconut oil can be replaced with any neutral oil, but you lose the sweet island note that ties the plate together.

Variations

• Some cooks stew the saltfish with a splash of coconut milk for a richer, paler sauce.
• A breakfast version serves the same stew over boiled green bananas and dasheen instead of dumplings.

History

The national dish, salt cod stewed and served with spicy plantains, coconut dumplings and breadfruit; salt fish came through plantation trade.

Frequently asked questions

What is Stewed saltfish?

Stewed saltfish is a main from Saint Kitts and Nevis: national dish with spicy plantains and coconut dumplings. The national dish, salt cod stewed and served with spicy plantains, coconut dumplings and breadfruit; salt fish came through plantation trade.

How long does Stewed saltfish take to make?

Stewed saltfish takes 30 min plus overnight soaking of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Stewed saltfish?

Yes, within limits. Salted pollock or ling is the usual cheaper cure in the islands and works identically; reduce the soak to 12 hours as it is thinner. No fresh coconut? 60 g desiccated coconut rehydrated in hot water gives nearly the same chew in the dumplings. Coconut oil can be replaced with any neutral oil, but you lose the sweet island note that ties the plate together.

What is the most important thing to get right in Stewed saltfish?

Fold in the flaked saltfish with the water, cover and stew on low for 12–15 minutes so the fish drinks up the sauce. Do not stir hard or the flakes shred to threads. Taste before adding any salt; it will usually need none.