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Ackee & Saltfish Recipe
I have to begin by saying that I have avoided eating ackee and saltfish for the longest. I’m weird about texture, and this dish reminded me of scrambled eggs. I went to visit my Nana, and saw that she made some ackee and saltfish. I built up enough courage, and gave in to trying Jamaica’s national dish. Let’s just say that I regret that it took me so long to try it. Ackee and saltfish is a very simple meal to make. Here’s how I created this dish:
Ingredients:
1 Roma Tomato
1/2 Large White Onion
2 tbls Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 lb of Boned Salted Codfish (Saltfish)
1 Can of Ackee in Salt Water
Scotch Bonnet Sauce (Use the pepper if you can find it)
1/3 Green Bell Pepper
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
De-salt the codfish by either soaking it overnight, or boiling it for at least 30 minutes. I boiled it for 25 minutes, drained it, and boiled it again for 15 more minutes. Chop the onion, tomato, and green pepper. During the last codfish de-salting boil, heat up the olive oil. Add the green bell pepper, black pepper and onions. Cook until the onion softens. It should only take about 5 minutes. Then add the codfish and scotch bonnet. Scotch bonnet is a hot pepper. So, I would add at your discretion. Cook for about 5 minutes. About 2 minutes into this cooking process, I would add the tomato. The tomato doesn’t need a long time to warm up, and you don’t want it to be mushy either. While these ingredients are cooking, drain and rinse the ackee. By the time you’re finished with that, you can add the ackee to the mixture. It doesn’t take very long for the ackee to soak up the flavors you built. However, ackee is very fragile, and you want to try your best not to make it mushy. Constantly stirring it will cause that. I would suggest using two forks to toss the ackee in the mixture. I would cook this combination for at least 5 minutes. Then your ackee and saltfish is ready to serve.
I made rice for my ackee and saltfish, but I think it’s best paired with breadfruit, green bananas, and fried dumplings. Bon Appetit!
The Diner [Norcross, GA]
I had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant this past weekend with my boyfriend. I was totally pleased with the total experience.
I ordered a two-egg breakfast that was accompanied by my choice of hash browns or home fries, grits or gravy, and either a biscuit or toast. I chose hash browns, grits, and a biscuit. I was feeling pretty hungry, so I ordered a single pancake as well. The food was cooked to order, and made right in front of us. They have a setup very similar to the Waffle House. Although I had to add salt and pepper to my meal, it was still pretty good. It was definitely like having a home cooked meal. I am very specific when ordering, and everything came out perfectly. The serving sizes were good. The pancake was the size of the plate, and was light and fluffy. It was delicious! I drank coffee, and had no complaints there either.
The service was awesome. We were greeted as soon as we came in. The cooks and cashier were very nice and helpful. They cracked a few jokes, and made the dining experience excellent. We didn’t have to wait long for our orders to be taken or to receive our food. We were often checked on, and our glasses remained full.
The restaurant is set up like a typical diner with booths, tables and counter seats. The seating is limited. I like diners because they always seem to have a comfortable and inviting setting. This diner was no different.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience. The food was good, the service was great, and I loved the diner atmosphere. Not to mention, the prices were just right. I would most certainly recommend this restaurant.
Jackson’s Bistro [Tampa]
This is my new favorite restaurant in the Tampa Bay area! I went here for the first time on my birthday. It was amazing! I absolutely loved it.
Jackson’s Bistro is located in Harbor Island, right on the water. Needless to say, the atmosphere was relaxing and the views were beautiful. Luckily for me there was outside seating! It was really nice outside, so this was the perfect arrangement. The outside seating is arranged like a waterside lounge. It was very sexy and suave. It’s definitely an upscale restaurant.
The server was really nice. He was attentive, and very helpful. He was able to provide recommendations, and answer all of our questions. Our table was clear of dirty dishes, and our glasses remained full.
I ordered the Brick Chicken dinner. It was a 12 oz. soy marinated airline chicken breast grilled under a brick, served with garlic green beans, truffle shoestring fries, and tomato demi sauce. The chicken was so good. It was juicy and marinated just right! Every bite was just as good as the last. The green beans were cooked perfectly. They were neither too soft nor hard; they had the perfect consistency. I was a little taken a back by the fact that this meal was served with fries. However, I won’t complain because the truffle shoestring fries were delicious! Parmesan cheese was added, and that just made my day! I wasn’t a big fan of the tomato demi sauce. I thought it was going to be more like a BBQ sauce, but it reminded me of A1 steak sauce. I also ordered a side salad, it was a good size and priced quite nicely. I also tasted a sushi roll, which was really good and fresh. I’d like to go back for their sushi, especially since this is something they’re known for.
The first sentence should have given you a hint as to whether or not I would recommend this restaurant because I certainly would. It’s perfect for a date, or to celebrate a special occasion.
Taco Mac [Atlanta]
Don’t let the name of this restaurant fool you because it definitely fooled me. While there were a few Hispanic inspired dishes on the menu, the menu was mostly composed of American grill food items. I wasn’t really disappointed because at that point, I was starving. So, anything would have been fine.
This restaurant is set up like a typical bar and grill. There are a ton of TVs and high-top tables. We were sat almost immediately upon arriving. Our server was very good. He was attentive, had suggestions, and checked on us quite often. He seemed genuinely willing to serve us.
I ordered the Rocky Mountain Chicken Sandwich and fries. I also ordered a side salad. The salad was very filling alone. It was fresh, and had all the toppings I needed. The fries were good, and so was the chicken sandwich. It came with a special sauce, rocky sauce, which was pretty tasty. I believe the sauce was a mixture of BBQ and honey mustard sauce. An added bonus was that unlike some restaurants, they weren’t stingy with the avocado. So, that made me happy. I will say this though, the food was good, but it wasn’t outstanding.
I would recommend dining in here. The atmosphere is fun, the service is great, and the food is decently priced.
Tyla Times
