saltfish

Here I am again, speaking about how much I HATED (my siblings too) pumpkin and squash as a kid growing up on the islands. Mommy tried, yea she did… but without any luck. She could not convince us.. even when she added “it’s good fuh yuh skin and complexion“. Today, it’s one of my favorite dishes, so much so that I grow them in my garden here in Canada every Spring.

You’ll Need…

5-7 lbs Pumpkin (sliced)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pimento Peppers (aka seasoning peppers)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 medium onion (sliced thin)
1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups prepared salted cod (boneless)

Important. If making this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

Wash, peel and slice the pumpkin thinly (watch the video below).

Prepare the salted cod. Boil and rinse or soak overnight in water. Drain, rinse and break into small pieces. Double check for any tiny bones, remove and discard.

In a big heavy pot on a medium heat, add the olive oil followed by the prepared salted cod and stir. Turn the heat to low (as it will go) and add the black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper. Stir well. Then in goes the onion, pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers) and the smashed garlic. Stir again to combine all of those flavors and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Go in with the Caribbean Green Seasoning – stir again. Heat still on low. A pinch of cumin (not mentioned in the ingredients list) if you want to add some additional flavor to the finished dish. I’m not the biggest fan of cumin so I don’t do as Mom would.

It’s time to start adding the sliced pumpkin to the pot. It will pile up, but as it cooks it will spring a lot of liquid and cook down. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil with the lid on.

Leave the lid off when it comes to a boil and you start seeing that liquid, top with the brown sugar and continue cooking on a medium heat with the lid off. At this point the pumpkin will start getting tender and break down.

The goal is to burn off all the liquid which will sprot naturally, and in the process the pumkin will go tender and packed with flavor.

After about 20-25 minutes, it’s time to turn the heat up a little and burn off all that liquid. It can take up to 1 hours for this to happed.

With all the liquid gone, you can smash any chunky pieces with the back of your spoon, taste and adjust the salt to your liking. I didn’t add any salt as the remaining salt in the salted cod was enough for my taste.

If you can’t source Caribbean Pumpkin, butternut squash will work just as good.

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 Grandma’s Stewed Saltfish (stewed salted cod).

July 6, 2020June 14, 2020Leave a Comment

I’ve shared countless recipes featuring the use of saltfish (Salted Cod) over the years, as it’s used a flavor enhancer to MANY dishes in the Caribbean. However, stewed on it’s own.. being the STAR of the recipe is what allows us to really appreciate the humble salted codfish. From our colonized past and slavery, we’ve perfected the art of making humble food, tasty and comforting.

You’ll Need…

3/4 lb prepared salted Cod (any salted fish will work)
8 tomatoes (ripe)
1 bell pepper (cut into strips)
2 pimento peppers (optional – sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoon parsley chopped
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
3 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup olives
5 sprigs thyme
3 + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 tablespoon tomato paste

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. I used boned (bones and skin removed) salted cod as it makes for
easier work. But do go though and make sure there’s no bones left back during processing.

Roast the tomatoes over a charcoal or propane flame, or you can also roast them in your oven. Roast on direct heat for about 5-10 minutes.

Set the roasted tomatoes aside to cool down in a bowl, then remove the skins and discard along with the core/stems. Save the juices which accumulate at the bottom of the bowl. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Prep the other ingredients. (chop, dice, smash)

Prepare salted cod and set aside. (soak in water overnight or boil in water, drain and shred into chunks.. explained further in the video below) .

Heat a wide pan on medium heat, then go in with the olive oil, followed by the onion, garlic, thyme and black pepper and drop the heat to low to gently cook. Give it a toss, then add the bits of slated cod.

3 minutes later add the scotch bonnet, pimento and bell peppers. Mix well to combine everything. Take the heat back up to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Remember to NOT use any of the seeds nor white membrane surround the seeds from the Scotch Bonnet or it will be SPICY! Be sure to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.

Now add the chopped roasted tomato (and juices) and stir well. Add the capers and olives.. and bring back to a boil. Go in with the tomato paste for a bit of color, sweetness and to help create a lovely sauce. Cook with the lid on.. as it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Taste for salt and adjust. I didn’t add any as the salted cod will have some salt remaining and capers can be a bit salty as well. Turn off the stove, top with the remaining olive oil and parsley.

While not a ‘traditional’ way of making Stewed Salted Cod in the Caribbean, I dedicate this version to my ancestors, who paved the way for me to make and enjoy such stunning food. Serve with boiled ground provisions (cassava, yam, dasheen, eddoes, sweet potatoes green banana), roasted or steamed breadfruit, bread, rice or rock it on flour dumplings or even pasta.

Gluten Free Seafood Vegan Vegetarian

Stewed Honey Nut Squash Recipe.

May 28, 2025March 13, 2019Leave a Comment

Yea, Honey Nut Squash is new to me too! I had never seen nor heard of it until I was at a local market and the name caught my attention. And even when I posted a clip of me cooking this on Instagram, I had a ton pf people correcting me “it’s butternut squash” so I knew it was kinda unique to many. Like any spinach (greens) type leafy vegetable, I’m also a HUGE fan of all squash and pumpkin, so they came home with me.

You’ll Need…

3 small honey nut squash (peel | cubed)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (diced)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning
3/4 cup prepared salted cod
1/4 teaspoon salt

Note: I did this recipe with salted Cod, but if you wanted to leave that ingredient out and have this fully vegan or vegetarian, you can certainly do so. Additionally, if doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Peel (the skin will be tough), core and dice the squash, then place it in a bowl covered with cool water. This will prevent it from going discolored.

Place a heavy pot (one with a lid) on a medium flame and heat the olive oil, then turn down the heat and add the diced onion and garlic, along with the black pepper. Cook on low for 2-3 minutes. Then add the Prepare Salted Cod to the pot and stir well. Followed by the Caribbean Green Seasoning and stir.. heat still on low.

It’s now time to crank-up the heat to med-high and start adding the cubed squash pieces to the pot. be sure to stir well to combine all the flavors we started with.

Heat at medium now, add the brown sugar and cover the pot.

After about 3-5 mins (watch the video below) you’ll notice that the Honey Nut Squash got a lot of it’s own natural liquid… add the salt, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 20 – 24 mins, stirring occasionally.

It should be fully cooked at this point and falling apart. Here’s where you can personalize things a bit. Check for salt and adjust. I used a little salt as I know the remaining salt in the salted cod would help season things nicely. I then turned the heat up to med/high to burn off the liquid (I like a dry squash wen cooked.. you may like it a bit runny) and I used the back of my spoon to crush any solid pieces. It took another 5-7 minutes to get to the consistency and texture I like.

If salted cod is not your thing, you can add some seasoned shrimp the final 5 minutes of cooking.. you can thank me later. I usually eat this as a typical vegetable side or on days when I want to be taken back to the islands.. I get some hot roti.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Seafood

Yam With Stewed Saltfish.

October 11, 2016October 11, 20161 Comment

This is one fella you can take out of the Caribbean, but you can never take the “Caribbean” out of him. I’ve had the opportunity to dine in various countries / restaurants around the world and while many of the dishes I’ve experienced we’re definitely tasty, I will always head back ‘home’ to the islands when I need something comforting. Such is the case when I eat dishes containing yam, dasheen, green banana, eddoes, cassava and other ingredients we refer to as being ‘provision’. I’ll always remember weekends when mom would prepare this dish for me, my brother and dad.. my sisters we’re somewhat picky eaters.

You’ll Need…

1 Yam 3-4 lbs (white yam)
1 cup salted cod (prepared)
1/2 onion (sliced)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic (diced)
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 sprigs thyme
10 cherry tomatoes (or 1 large – sliced)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional.. no seeds)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scallion (chopped)

Note: I’ve posted this recipe under Gluten Free (as well), so kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific Gluten Free dietary needs.

Demo: How To prepare Salted Cod (Saltfish)

Prepare the salted cod (soak, boil, drain, rinse and shred) and set aside.

Peel the yam (please get actual yams and NOT sweet potatoes some people refer to as being yams). Try West Indian, Asian and Latin markets.. ask for soft boiling white yam. The variety I used was from Africa, which cooks very fast. Then cut into large pieces, cover with water and bring to a boil. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt to the water when it comes to a boil. Cook on a rolling boil until the yam is tender, but not falling apart. It can take between 20-30 minutes depending on how large the pieces are and the variety of yam you get. TIP! Some yams may cause skin irritation when peeling, so I’d suggest wearing gloves or coating your hands with some vegetable oil when peeling/handling.

As the yam boils, prepare the other ingredients.

Poke the yam pieces with a pairing knife… if there’s no resistance, they’re fully cooked. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil on a medium flame in a wide pan, then ad the shredded salted cod to the pan. Lower the heat to low and cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Then add the onion and garlic and cook (on low) for another 2-3 minutes. Then turn up the heat to medium and add all the other ingredients and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Toss in the cooked yam pieces and mix well, to coat with the stewed salted fish.

You have a couple options here. You can mix well, heat though and you’re done. Or you can cook a bit longer and allow the yam pieces to develop a sort of crust (my fave). You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to the dish as the yam was cooked in salted water and the remaining salt from the salted fish will be enough – but you can adjust to your own liking. Add as much Caribbean Sunshine (Scotch Bonnet) as you can handle and do remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

This is definitely COMFORT on a plate for me. If you can’t source Yams, you can use Taro/Dasheen, cassava, green cooking bananas, eddoes, sweet potatoes or even regular potatoes would work.

Gluten Free Seafood

Asparagus In Stewed Salted Cod.

June 28, 2016June 20, 2016Leave a Comment

After moving to Canada I was exposed to many ‘new’ ingredients, which were not found in the typical Caribbean garden or market. One such ingredient which became an immediate hit with my taste buds was asparagus. Normally I’d grill them, but early in the season when it’s still a bit too cold to go outside and spark up the grill, I like doing this sort of stew (stir-fry for many). Based on the method we use for making a saltfish (salted cod) stew in the Caribbean, this is certainly one of the best ways to enjoy asparagus.

You’ll Need..

1 cup prepared saltfish (salted cod)
1/2 large onion
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 Cubanelle pepper (or bell)
1 lb asparagus
2 tablespoon veg oil (olive or coconut is better)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8-10 cherry tomatoes
2 scallions
3-4 sprigs thyme

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

CLICK HERE to learn how to prepare salted cod (salted fish) for everyday use in dishes.

Prepare the salted cod (or dry salted fish of choice). Basically you’ll soak in water or boil to re-hydrate and remove most of the salt it’s cured in. Then shred into small pieces and set aside.

Now prepare the other ingredients. Remove the woody ends of the asparagus (and discard), then cut into 1 inch pieces. Chop the onion, pepper and scallion. Finely chop the garlic and slice the cherry tomatoes in half. You can use a large tomato cubed if you want.

Heat the oil on a low flame in a wide pan, then add the pieces of prepared salted cod and cook on LOW for about 3 minutes.

Add the garlic, thyme and black pepper and cook gently for another 2 minutes. Then turn up the heat to medium and add the sliced onion, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, now go in with all the other ingredients and cook on med-high for 3-5 minutes.

You can personalize this dish according to how ‘cooked’ you like your asparagus. I personally like them with a little crunch, so this cooking time was enough. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to the dish as the residual salt from the fish was enough for my liking. Feel free to adjust.

Do you have a favorite way of preparing asparagus? I’d love to hear about it in the comment section below.

Breakfast Gluten Free Seafood

Ultimate Caribbean Breakfast Recipe.

May 28, 2025October 15, 20151 Comment

Breakfast was usually a grab and go routine for me as a young fella on the islands during the week, as I went to school in the city and it meant leaving our sleepy village very early in the morning. I had to take a 2nd taxi (shared) when I got into San Fernando (2nd largest city in Trinidad) to make it in time for the first bell. So weekends was when mom would go all out with whatever we wanted for breakfast. Now this sort of breakfast was never included as I only developed a liking for many of the ingredients you’ll see me use, during my travels across the Caribbean as an adult. However the dish itself represents the sort of satisfying breakfast you’d find across the West Indies, especially on the weekends.

You’ll Need…

4 green cooking bananas (cooked)
1-2 cups prepared salted fish (Cod)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup diced bell pepper
4 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 large shallot (or 2 cloves garlic & 1 small onion)
1 can ackee (drain / rinsed)
2 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 small okra (cut in half – length)
6 cups Jamaican callaloo (trimmed/shredded)

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Video Tutorials:

How To Prepare Jamaican Callaloo For Cooking

How To Shop For, Cook And Peel Green Bananas.

How To Prepare Salted Fish

Please use the video tutorials above to prepare the necessary ingredients. If using canned ackee as I did, be gentle and rinse with cool water to get rid of the brine it’s packaged in and set aside. On a medium flame, heat the olive oil (or coconut) and add the diced shallot and thyme. Lower the heat to low and let it cook gently for 3 minutes.

With your heat still on low, add the prepared salted cod and the black pepper and continue cooking for 3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the cut/trimmed ockra and scotch bonnet pepper (remember to use as much as you can handle and don’t use any seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat). Stir well and cook for a couple minutes.

It’s now time to add the prepared Jamaican callaloo (chorai bhaji) and stir well. It will look like it will overflow, but it will shrink (wilt) down as it cooks. Add all the other ingredients, except the cooked green bananas and ackee and mix well.

After 5 Minutes, add the cooked green bananas (cut into 1 inch pieces) and mix well. Then GENTLY fold in the ackee. Please be gentle as it’s very tender and can fall apart very easily. Warm trough and combine the flavors and you’re basically done.

An amazing one pot Caribbean breakfast beast served (enjoyed) hot. Feel free to add other types of ground provisions to the mix (like yams, dasheen, cassava etc) and be sure to have some slices of fried plantains on the side with some coconut bake or johnny cakes.