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Green Fig and Saltfish

Saint Lucia's national dish: boiled green figs with sauteed, flaked saltfish.

🍽️ 4 🔪 20 min 🔥 30 min

Green fig and saltfish is Saint Lucia's national dish, eaten any time of day. Green fig means green banana, and saltfish is salted codfish that is soaked to draw out the salt before cooking.

Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 green figs (green bananas)
  • 1 lb saltfish (salted codfish)
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 sweet pepper, sliced
  • 2 stalks chive, chopped
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

Steps

  1. Cut the ends off each green fig and score the skin along its length. Boil in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes, then peel.
  2. Soak the saltfish in water, or boil it briefly, to draw out the salt. Drain, then flake it and remove any bones.
  3. Heat the oil in a pan and sautee the onion, garlic, sweet pepper, thyme and chive until soft.
  4. Add the tomato and the flaked saltfish. Stir and cook for a few minutes, then season with black pepper. Drop in the whole scotch bonnet for aroma if you like, then lift it out.
  5. Serve the saltfish over or beside the boiled green figs, hot.

Sample recipe to show the format. Edit or replace it in the admin.