Down
A h Yard Jamaican Cookbooks
Breakfast
Down
A h Yard Jamaican Cookbooks
Breakfast
Table of Contents Jamaican Breakfast Foods
1
Ackee and Saltfish
3 5 7 9
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Roasted Breadfruit Saltfish Fritters Fried Plaintain Fried Dumplings – Johnny Cakes
11 13
Cornmeal Porridge
15
Jamaican Breakfast Foods Breakfast time is an important part of
the day in Jamaica. Most Jamaicans enjoy a hearty breakfast before a hard day’s work. Breakfast in Jamaica is unique in
A wide variety of fish, flours and
fruits are used to prepare these delicious meals.
that most breakfast foods are stand-alone dishes that can be mixed and matched for a wide variety of meals.
Many Jamaican breakfast foods are bought from local farmers or at the nearest supermarket. There are also large ‘farmer’s markets’ that sell a variety of produce. At these markets vendors and farmers sell directly to the public, and it is common for Jamaicans to buy their weekly groceries from these markets. At these markets it is possible and expected to haggle prices if you want a good deal. There are also resturants and businesses on the side of the road, hoping to boost sales from the large amount of people. These markets contain a cross-section of the Jamaican population, with school children and teens alongside the elderly and middle-aged adults. These market places exemplify the spirit of entrepernueralship that is a defining factor of Jamaican culture.
1
Ackee and Saltfish Ackee and salt fish is one of Jamaica’s
Because some portions of the fruit
most distinctive dish, and is known as the
are toxic if not fully ripe, proper
export product from Africa, ackee is a
the risk of food poisoning.
national dish of Jamaica. Originally an
fruit that grows in red pods on a small
preparation must be followed to avoid Ackee and salt fish are typically
tree. When ripening, the pod splits open
eaten at breakfast time, but can easily
seed and firm yellow flesh.
fried or roasted breadfruit.
into three sections, exposing its large black
be prepared for dinner with a side of
INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION:
•
1/2 lb. Saltfish (codfish)
1. Soak saltfish in water to
•
1 dozen ackees
remove some of the salt or
•
1 small onion
boil in water for 5-7 minutes.
•
1 teaspoon black pepper
•
1 sprig tyme
the seeds and all traces
•
1 crushed garlic or
of interior red pit from the
and turn the fire/stove
2 tea spoons garlic powder
ackees.
up slightly.
•
2. Clean the ackee. Remove
and sweet pepper rings. 8. Remove half of the fried onions and peppers 9. Add saltfish and the ackees,
3 slices hot scotch bonnet
3. Wash ackees five times
10. Add black pepper
pepper
4. Cover and boil until
11. Pour unto serving plate
•
1 small red sweet pepper
•
Cooking oil
moderately soft. 5. Drain, cover, and put aside. 6. Flake the saltfish and remove all bones.
3
7. Sauté thinly sliced onions
and garnish with remaining onions and pepper slices 12. Serve with fried breadfruit or Johnny cakes.
Blue Mountain Coffee Blue Mountain coffee is one of
Jamaica’s most sought-after and expensive products. The coffee beans are only grown in a small portion of the Blue
There are many different blends
of coffee bean, but any of them are
guaranteed to brighten up your morning.
Mountains, from which the coffee derives it’s name.
The coffee is known for its mild
flavour and lack of bitterness. In addition
to coffee, the beans are used as a flavor base in Tia Maria coffee liqueur.
INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION:
•
1. Place freshly brewed coffee
2/1-2 cups , freshly brewed Jamaican Blue Mountain arabica coffee
•
1/2 cup Tia Maria
•
2/3 cup dark Jamaican rum
•
8 tablespoons of light cream
•
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
•
5
Chocolate shavings
3. Using a round-bottomed
in a saucepan. Heat over
spoon, float 2 tablespoons of
low heat. Add Tia Maria, rum
cream onto the top of
and brown sugar. Heat until nearly boiling, continuing to stir the whole time. 2. Remove from heat and pour into 4 heat-proof glass coffee cups until 2/3 full.
the coffee. 4. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Serve hot.
Roasted Breadfruit Breadfruit is a large, green fruit with
a starchy, bread-like pulp that can be
eaten roasted, fried or boiled. This fruit
is a staple for many Jamaican dishes, and
Breadfruit is a popular addition to
both breakfast and dinner meals, ad is
usually salted to taste after preparation.
is usually paired with boiled calalloo, boiled dumplins and yams, or ackee and saltfish.
INGREDIENTS :
PREPARATION:
•
1. Put whole breadfruit on grill.
5. Cut the breadfruit in half.
2. Cook on all sides until
6. Cut out the ‘heart’(inedible
Whole Breadfruit
brownish black. 3. Use skewer to check if cooked. 4. Take breadfruit off grill. Using a pot holder to hold the breadfruit, peel off skin with a kitchen knife.
7
seedy center portion). 7. Cut breadfruit into slices lengthwise. 8. Serve with calloo or ackee and salt fish.
Saltfish Fritters Salt fish fritters, or ‘johnny cakes’
are fried cornmeal patties with chopped
onions, green unions, and flakes of boiled salt fish (salted cod). This dish is very
popular as a breakfast item, and can be
paired with boiled calallo, roasted or fried breadfruit, or ackee and salt fish.
INGREDIENTS :
PREPARATION:
•
1/4 raw salt fish (codfish)
1. Wash and dry the salt fish.
•
1/4 flour
2. Pick apart the salt fish until it
•
1 small clove garlic
•
1/2 teaspoon paprika
•
1 large onion
•
3 stalks of scallion
scallion, pepper and
•
2 large tomatoes
tomatoes in to fine pieces.
•
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
becomes small chunks and set aside 3. Cut the onions, garlic,
4. Combine the onions, garlic, scallion, pepper and tomatoes. 5. Cook this seasoning thoroughly in a frying pan using a small amount of oil.
6. Add flour and water to the salt fish and make a thin batter, stirring until smooth. 7. Combine the fried seasoning and paprika with this batter. Mix batter. 8. Dip a large spoon in oil and spoon scoop thin batter into frying pan. 9. Deep fry in a frying pan till brown and crisp on both sides. 10. Drain on paper towel and serve.
9
Fried Plantain Plantains are is a variety of banana that
is distinguished by it’s large size. This fruit
is denser that a typical banana, and is can
be prepared ripe or unripe. Unripe plantains
Plantains are a staple of Jamaican
dishes, and are prepared both for breakfast or dinner meals.
are starchy with a potato like flavor, and are usually prepared boiled or steamed.
Ripe plantains can become very sweet, and are usually fried or steamed.
INGREDIENTS :
PREPARATION:
•
1 ripe plantain
1. Peel the plantain by making
•
1 tablespoon cinnmon
2 incisions on opposite sides
enough oil to cover
or nutmeg
of the plantain skin
the 1/4 inch slices.
and then peeling.
5. Fry plantain slices until
2. Slice the plantains in 2 down the middle (widthwise, not lengthwise - like breaking a banana in 2). 3. Cut up both pieces of plantains into 1/4 inch slices longways.
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4. Heat skillet filled with just
golden brown on each side. 6. Each slice needs about 45 seconds to a minute to cook. 7. Be careful not to burn.
Johnny Cakes Johnny Cakes, or Fried dumplings, are a
quick and easy addition to any Jamaican breakfast. This simple recipe is usually
paired with a variety of other common
breakfast items, including ackee and salt fish, calaloo, and bully beef (steamed corned beef).
INGREDIENTS :
PREPARATION:
•
4 cups flour
1. Sift the flour, baking powder,
•
2 teaspoons baking powder
and salt together into
knead the dough well, for
•
1.5 teaspoon salt
a large mixing bowl.
about five minutes.
•
1/2 cup butter or margarine
•
1/2 cup cold water
the mixture forms marble
uncrowded, in the hot oil
•
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
sized doughballs. Add water
only until they become
until the dough has
golden(Approx 2- 3 minutes)
2. Add butter or margarine until
a firm consistency. 3. Heat oil in a heavy
6. Fry the Johnny Cakes,
7. Remove the Johnny cakes and drain on paper towels to
bottomed frying pot over
absorb the extra
medium-low heat until hot
vegetable oil.
4. Break off peices and form the dough into slightly flattened biscuits, about 2 inches across. 13
5. On a lightly floured surface,
Porridge Porridge is a meal made from boiled
cereals such as oats or corn. In Jamaica, cornmeal flour is the cereal base used
for porrige. This breakfast dish is typically
Many parents make this breakfast item
for their children, though it can also be enjoyed by adults as a midday snack.
flavored with milk, sugar, or sweetened
condensed milk. Jamaicans also like to season this dish with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
INGREDIENTS :
PREPARATION:
•
1 cup fine yelllow cornmeal
1. Mix cornmeal in
•
3 cups water
•
1 cup milk
•
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
and milk to boil and stir in
•
sugar to taste or fat free
cornmeal and salt..
1 cup water. 2. Bring remainder of water
condensed milk
3. Cook for about 10-12 mins.
•
1/2 teaspoon salt
4. Add nutmeg, cinnamon
•
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
•
3 tablespoons fat free condensed milk or sugar to taste
•
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
and vanilla. 5. Sweeten with condensed milk. 6. Serve hot.