Salt fish is a fresh fish that is cured with salt and dried. It has been part of Caribbean cuisine since the 15th century. Salt fish is largely made with meaty white fish buts snapper, cod and even shark is salt cured and dried.

This popular Caribbean food is a favorite breakfast and often served with rice, bammy flatbread or local root vegetables and fruit such as taro, tannia, sweet potatoes, banana or plantain. There are numerous ways in which salt fish is prepared in the Caribbean. One of the most common ways is to pan fry it. However, it can be baked such as with a fried dough, steamed or boiled.

Yield:

  • 4 Servings

Ingredients:

    • 8 ounces salted cod fish

 

    • 4 tablespoon cooking oil

 

    • 2 onions, chopped

 

    • 3 tomatoes, diced

 

    • 2 red bell peppers, chopped

 

    • 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

 

    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

 

    • 1 dash red pepper flakes, to taste

 

    • 4 lettuce leaves (optional)

 

    • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced (optional)

 

Preparation:

    • In a large pot of water, add fish and bring the water to a boil. This is to remove any excess salt; otherwise the fish will be overly salty. Once the water comes to a boil, drain it from the fish and repeat the process. Drain the fish then flake it with a fork to make sure it is cooked. If it is not done then repeat boil it one more time. Gently press all the liquid out of the fish.

 

    • In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic (optional), red bell peppers, and tomatoes. Cook about two or three minutes.

 

    • Add salt fish, lemon juice and hot peppers, to taste. Cook the mixture on low heat until all the moisture has evaporated.

 

    • Arrange the fish on a nice platter with lettuce leaves and avocado. Serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Variations:

Salt fish is oftentimes a popular appetizer and is served as a fritter with a spicy dipping sauce. This fabulous snack is ideal for busy lifestyles and can be made the day before for a faster cook time.
To make fritter, make a basic batter using 1 cup flour, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon baking powder and a dash of black pepper. Cover the salt fish in batter and cook about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown in color.

Notes:

Generally, salt fish is not packaged and sold in huge quantities. It is typically sold in half and one pound packages. When buying salt fish, there are generally two varieties available. One variety is boneless and the other has bones. Basically they taste about the same. However, boneless salt fish is more expensive because of the labor that goes into removing the bones from the skin.
If you decide that you want the cheaper version, just soak the salt fish in water overnight. A good soak makes it a lot easier to remove the bones and the skin.

Best Cookware to Use:

  • A large pot
  • A large frying pan