Is ackee aplentiful right now in Negril? Couldn't find it anywhere on my reach last year, and everyone was telling me it was "out of season"?
Is ackee aplentiful right now in Negril? Couldn't find it anywhere on my reach last year, and everyone was telling me it was "out of season"?
UPDATE: gave a trial run with several substitution ingredients, and without saltfish. Was going to use the regular cod i had in fridge but held back and just concentrated on the ackee w/out the saltfish. Not sure where to get saltfish, but am working on it. Boiled the ackee, then pan fried with jalapeno peppers, yellow pepper, onions, small potatoes. Pretty good. Real test will be with scotch bonnet peppers and saltfish. BTW the ackee price was 2 cans Grace ackee for $1.00 - if you can believe that. Got it at a overstock grocery place last December, where they sell dented cans etc, bought them out which was 4 cans. The outer portion of the cans were in good shape, that is not dented, but the expire date was Nov 2011. I used one can which was enough for two breakfasts for one person, which means i packaged up the leftovers for the next day. Now in JA land, i remember the locals saying if the ackee is not ripe, and picked at the right time, you could be in trouble. Keeping boiled ackee in fridge as leftover was a concern, but appears to have worked, since i am moving around w/out incident today, one day after finishing off the leftovers. Good meals! More later....
Death does not concern us., because as long as we exist, death is not here. And once it does come, we no longer exist.
- Epicurus
No need to fear preparing ackee that you obtained from a can.
The problem is fresh ackee in the pod. IF the pod is FORCED open to remove the ackee, then the ackee is poisonous. If the pod stays on the tree and OPENS NATURALLY, then there is no need to fear eating the ackee. All the poisonous fumes escape naturally and the ackee is no problem to eat. Ackee is also eaten raw and the person eating it doesn't suffer from any ill effects.
great video!Originally Posted by lisapat
Death does not concern us., because as long as we exist, death is not here. And once it does come, we no longer exist.
- Epicurus
If you don't remember to pre-soak the saltfish, just give it a first boil-up on the stove, throw out that water, add fresh water and boil again. After you pick the saltfish, taste it. If still salty, cover with fresh water and let it soak while you prepare the rest.
IMO, the flavor key is to saute the seasonings in oil before you add the saltfish and/or ackee
I buy Canned ackee here in Ontario all the time, price ranges from a high of about $9.00 to a low of $5.00. Saw it on sale once for $4.44...bought 10 cans.
Several different brands,Mr. Goudas, Grace and Dunns river. Sometimes it is Jamaican product but most often from Ivory Coast in Africa. I cant tell the difference.
I have it for breakfast a couple of times a week.......no need to boil the canned stuff first. I make up fried dumplings then put the Ackee into the remaining oil along with Diced onions and diced tomatoe, salt and black pepper. Havent found a replcement for the calalloo yet so I just dont bother. Lately Ive made up festivals instead of dumplinmgs but its a lot more work.
