Here’s another example showcasing the creativity of my Caribbean culinary heritage. Using a can (say tin in the Caribbean) of humble salmon (yea not appetizing for most) to add a wonderful flavor and body to basic cabbage. I’m sure this dish came about when someone wanted to stretch a can of salmon to feed a few people and remembered they had a cabbage laying around.
You’ll Need…
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion (diced)
3 thin slices scotch bonnet pepper
3-4 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can salmon
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/3 cup water
1/2 large cabbage (rough chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon water
10-12 grape tomatoes (any tomato will work)
4-6 sprigs thyme
1-2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan on a low heat. Add the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper and allow to cook on that low heat for about 3 minutes. As it cooks, add the black pepper.
Now add the curry powder and stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir. The goal is to allow the heat to cook the tomato paste and bring out the natural sweetness. And speaking about sweetness. Should you not have curry powder or maybe you don’t like curry (crazy), feel free to use Smoked Paprika instead.
Add the thyme (leaves) and cook for a further minute.
It’s time to add the can of Salmon (I got wild caught packed in water) including the liquid it was packed in. To help degalze the pan, I added the 1/3 cup of water and turned my heat to medium and added the lemon juice.
It will take 1-2 minutes to come to a boil. Cook for 4 minutes. Here is when you’ll add the chopped (as big as you want) cabbage and the salt. It will seem like a lot, but it will cook down.
Add the cherry tomatoes along with the 2 tablespoons of water and stir. Place the lid on and allow the steam action to help cook the cabbage. Be sure to stir. Yes the salmon will break-up.. that’s fine.
Now here is where you get to personalize things. Seven minutes later and it’s time to taste for salt and adjust. Check on the texture of the cabbage to see if it’s to your liking (I like a slight crunch) and decide of you want it cooked longer.
Turn off the stove, toss in the parsley (stir) and ENJOY with steamed rice, hot roti or in bread as a sandwich.
Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/
Not sure of this should be classified as a recipe or not, but I do know it’s affectionately known as “bache” or bachelor food among the people I know. “Bache” usually refers to any food that can be cooked (or not) in under 5 minutes… basically something fast. As a youth this was the norm as part of Good Friday lunch. It’s true that we had access to tons of fresh fish being that we lived on islands, but somehow that salmon that came in a can still made it’s way onto our menu. You either had it on rice or with lovely ground provisions, like yam, eddoes and dasheen. My dad used to top his with olive oil, something only in my adult life did I learn to appreciate.
