lives

In the Caribbean, a poorer-quality version called “West India cure” or “Jamaica cure” – that would have been rejected by Europeans – was eaten. This featured heavily in enslaved people’s diets as a protein source.

Ackee, in turn, is a fruit that was brought to Jamaica from West Africa on a slave ship in 1778.

The exact moment the two were paired has never been definitively pinpointed, to my knowledge. But perhaps, back when saltfish was not of the highest quality, other ingredients were added to dilute its taste.

Ingredients (serves 4)

225g saltfish, rinsed and soaked overnight

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ onion, finely chopped

1 red pepper, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed ⅓–1 scotch bonnet, deseeded and finely chopped, to taste

2 medium tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

2 spring onions, chopped

Leaves from 3 thyme sprigs

150ml water

540g can of ackee, drained