This saltfish & cabbage cook-up is the quintessential Jamaican meal, versatile as it is satisfying. The desalted and rehydrated fish paired with cabbage is seasoned with thyme, scallion, all spice and scotch bonnet pepper and yields a savory dish full of flavor and a little heat. Enjoy for breakfast or pair with your favorite side for an any time of the day meal.
What Is Saltfish?
Saltfish, more commonly known as salted cod, baccalao or baccalá depending on the region you’re in, is a meaty white fish, typically cod or pollock, that has been salted after being dried as a means of preservation. Once its desalted and cooked, it’s buttery textures makes a delightful addition to savory dishes.
How Do You Desalt Saltfish?
Long method: Soak salt fish in cold water overnight to remove the excess salt OR
Short method: Boil for 10-15 minutes at a time to remove salt to desired taste.
Once to your desired taste, drain water, then with a pairing knife remove skin and bones and shred saltfish with a fork and set aside. See video below for how this is done.
Why You’ll Love Saltfish & Cabbage Cook-Up
Easy to prepare: if you don’t count the time it takes to soak, this saltfish & cabbage meal comes together rather quickly, making it a favorite when you need to move fast.
Versatile: saltfish & cabbage makes for a nutritious breakfast dish but can easily be paired with bread for hearty lunch, with rice for a balanced and satisfying dinner or even used as filling in fried foods (saltfish & cabbage spring roll anyone?)
What Do You Need To Make Saltfish & Cabbage?
Saltfish: desalted, scaled, deboned and shredded
Herbs & Spices: dried herbs – thyme, parsley, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground allspice
Fresh Seasonings: onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, thyme, scotch bonnet or habanero peppers
Veggies: Cabbage is used in this recipe but callaloo, fresh or canned, or kale would also work.
Oil: Any neutral oil like extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil will do.
How Do You Make Saltfish & Cabbage?
- Soak saltfish overnight or boil it 10-15 minutes to desalt (see above instructions to prepare saltfish). Then descale, debone and break into small pieces and set aside.
- The key to this dish being flavorful is to layer the seasonings by adding them in parts.
- Heat pan over medium high heat then add the 2 tbsp oil and sauté onions, garlic, bell and scotch bonnet peppers and 1/2 the seasoning mixture stirring until veggies are coated and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next fold in the salt fish, tomatoes, cabbage, kale (if using) and remaining seasonings, mixing until everything is incorporated.
- Cover and reduce heat, letting cabbage steam until tender crisp and saltfish is heated through
- Remove from heat and serve hot!
What Goes With Saltfish & Cabbage?
In Jamaican cuisine, saltfish & cabbage is common breakfast meal that is served with ground provisions or ‘food’ otherwise known as starchy vegetables that have been boiled like yam, potato, pumpkin, cassava (yuka root), breadfruit along with fried or boiled dumplings and plantain.
That said, it is a vegetable rich dish that can be eaten at any meal time and can be had by itself or eaten with boiled foods like pumpkin, sweet potato, yam, boiled dumpling or breadfruit, hard dough bread and even as filling in foods like fried saltfish & cabbage spring rolls.
Tips for Saltfish & Cabbage Cook-UpSuccess:
- Soaking saltfish in cold water overnight will give you the best chance of removing all the salt. If you’d prefer to retain some saltiness, consider the boiling method.
- This is a quick cook dish because the saltfish is already prepared so you only need 2-3 minutes until saltfish is heated through and cabbage is tender crisp (not soggy).
- Layer the seasonings by adding 1/2 with the first set of veggies and the remaining with saltfish ensures maximum flavor infusion.
Salt Fish & Cabbage Cookup
Equipment
- Large frying pan or cast iron skillet with cover
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
To Make Saltfish & Cabbage:
- 1 lb salted cod or pollock
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper sliced
- ½ green bell pepper sliced
- 1-2 stalks scallions chopped (optional)
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper deseeded and thinly sliced
- 1 roma tomato sliced
- 1 small green cabbage thinly sliced/shredded
Spice/Seasoning mix:
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ – ½ tsp salt I omit the salt if the salt fish still has some saltiness to it
- ¼ tsp all spice
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Prepare the Salt fish
- Method 1: Place salt fish in a large pot and cover with cold water leaving to soak in the fridge overnight making sure to change water every 4-6 hours.
- Method 2: Boil salt fish for 10-15 minutes to remove excess salt. Taste a piece of the salt fish to check for saltiness and change water and boil again until to your liking..
- Once salt fish is to your liking, drain water. Use a pairing knife to remove any scales, skin and bones. Then use your hands to break salt fish into fork size pieces. Set aside.
To Make Salt Fish & Cabbage:
- Combine black pepper, salt, parsley, paprika, thyme and garlic powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat, add the avocado oil and once heated, add the sliced onions, garlic, bell peppers, scotch bonnet pepper and tomato followed by half of spice mixture and mix until veggies are coated and let sautè for about 2-3 minutes.
- Next add the salt fish, cabbage and the remaining spices, folding until everything is combined. Cover and let cabbage steam until tender crisp and salt fish is heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, serve immediately with your favorite sides.
- Complete the meal suggestions: have with boiled or fried dumplings, fried or roasted plantains, sliced of harddough bread, steamed white or brown rice or boiled ground provisions aka yam, potato, pumpkin etc.
