Steamed Cabbage and Saltfish
Saturday Morning Yard Breakfast
Saturday morning, before the cartoons even finish, the pungent, sweet aroma of scotch bonnet pepper, fresh thyme, and onions hits hot oil in a standard 12-inch skillet, the flaked saltfish hisses. For a wedge of supermarket cabbage, the secret is in the steaming. Cabbage is mostly water; resist the urge to add liquid to the pot. Let it steam in its own juices for a vibrant, sweet, perfectly tender crunch, push it onto a plate next to a thick slice of hardo bread, and eat it before the coffee cools.
Before you start
Soak the saltfish overnight.
The night before you plan to cook, place the salted cod in a large bowl, cover it completely with cold water, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight to draw out the cure. If you forget this step, you can rapid-boil the fish for 15 minutes, drain, and repeat with fresh water.
Ingredients
- salted cod1/2 lb
- vegetable oil3 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic3 small clove
- scallions2 large
- bell pepper1/2 large
- roma tomato1 med
- fresh thyme3 sprig
- scotch bonnet pepper1/2 med
- whole allspice berries5
- green cabbage1/2 large
- carrot1 large
- all-purpose seasoning1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Boil the saltfish to remove excess salt and rehydrate the meat.
Place the soaked fish in a saucepan with fresh water and boil over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain, let cool slightly, and flake the fish into bite-sized pieces with a fork, discarding any stray bones. Taste a piece—it should have a pleasant, savory saltiness like a potato chip, but if overwhelmingly salty, boil for 10 more minutes in fresh water.
- 02
Build the aromatic flavor base.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, scallions, bell pepper, tomato, fresh thyme, minced scotch bonnet, and crushed allspice berries. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are translucent and the oil is deeply fragrant.
- 03
Fry the flaked saltfish to firm up the texture.
Add the flaked saltfish to the skillet. Stir well to combine with the aromatics and cook for another 3 minutes. This slight dehydration allows the fish to firm up and absorb the flavors of the garlic and pepper.
- 04
Dry-steam the cabbage in its own natural juices.
Pile the thinly sliced cabbage and grated carrots directly on top of the saltfish mixture. Sprinkle the all-purpose seasoning and black pepper over the cabbage, and place the butter on top. Do not add water. Immediately turn the heat down to medium-low and cover the skillet tightly with a lid.
- 05
Wilt, toss, and finish cooking.
Let the cabbage steam undisturbed for 5 minutes. Remove the lid—the cabbage will have shrunk and released its own moisture. Use tongs to thoroughly toss the cabbage with the saltfish and aromatics from the bottom of the pan. Cover again and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but still retaining a slight crunch. Discard the thyme stems and serve hot.
Notes
Navigating the heat of a scotch bonnet pepper.
The Scotch Bonnet is the soul of Jamaican heat. If you want the fruity flavor without the intense fire, drop a whole, uncut pepper into the pot to simmer, and remove it before serving, taking absolute care not to burst it.
Do not add water to the cabbage.
Cabbage is over 90 percent water. Resist the urge to add liquid to the pot, which results in a soggy, grey mass. Letting it steam in its own moisture is the ultimate grandmother's secret.
Scotch bonnet substitutions.
If you cannot find a scotch bonnet pepper in your local market, a habanero pepper is a botanically identical cousin that provides the exact same fruity, floral heat profile.
From Cook Jamaican in America.