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Ackee and Callaloo Bake

Ackee and Callaloo Bake is a traditional Jamaican recipe for a classic layered dish of callalloo, topped with ackees and onions, covered with mashed sweet potatoes and topped with grated cheese that's oven baked before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Jamaican version of: Ackee and Callaloo Bake.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

40 minutes

Total Time:

60 minutes

Serves:

6

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian RecipesVegetable RecipesCheese RecipesBaking RecipesJamaica Recipes

Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and is a feature of Jamaican cooking. It represents the edible arils of the fruit of the ackee tree (Blighia sapida), a member of the soapberry family that's related to lychees and longans. Originally native to West Africa (where it is seldom consumed, but is used to make soap) it was introduced to the Caribbean. The fruit must be fully ripe to be consumed, as unripe ackee contains alkaloid toxins (Hypoglycins A and B) that can be fatal. Tinned ackees are safe to eat though.

Callaloo is a Caribbean stew of greens (typically amaranth leaves, taro leaves [also known as dasheen], pokeweed leaves or water spinach leaves). The stew has also lent its name to the greens that are used to make it, so that they are known as 'callaloo greens'. This recipe calls for callaloo greens in salted water.

Ingredients:

1kg yellow sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium onion, chopped
1 spring onion, chopped
2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
125g Cheddar cheese, grated
440g tin of ackees in salted water (available in Caribbean stores and markets), drained
440g tin of callaloo in salted water (available in Caribbean stores and markets)
1 tbsp soft margarine (or butter)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
paprika (optional)

Method:

Add the sweet potatoes to a pan, cover with water then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain the sweet potato (reserve the cooking liquid) then mash with the margarine (or butter). Season to taste then work in enough of the reserved cooking liquid to give a smooth mash.

Heat the vegetable oil in a pan, add the onion add spring onion. Fry for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the ackees to the pan and fry for about 4 minutes then take off the heat and set aside

Add the callaloo to the base of a greased casserole dish. Top this with the onions, followed by the ackees and then the mashed sweet potatoes. Finish by scattering the grated cheese on top and garnishing with a sprinkling of paprika. Transfer the completed dish to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the dish is cooked through and the cheese has melted and coloured a golden brown.