Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
A Jamaican classic: shredded salt cod and leafy callaloo cooked with bacon, scotch bonnet, garlic and thyme for a savoury, spicy side.
Callaloo and saltfish is morning food across much of the Caribbean: earthy leafy greens cooked down with flaked salt cod, crisp bacon and the unmistakable heat of scotch bonnet. It is savoury and a little fiery, and just as happy as a side at any meal as it is at breakfast.
Jump to recipe
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Total 40 min
Easy
Scale:
- 1/2 lb Salt Cod
- 4 Bacon
- 525g Callaloo
- 1 chopped Onion
- 2 chopped Spring Onions
- 2 cloves minced Garlic
- 1 chopped Scotch Bonnet
- 2 chopped Plum Tomatoes
- 2 sprigs Thyme
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
315
kcal
44g
Protein
10g
Carbs
11g
Fat
Estimated per serving. How we calculate this.
Preparation
- Soak the salt cod in water overnight, then heat it in fresh water until boiling, when you will see foam rise, and drain. Once cool, shred the fish.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then pour off most of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Add the onion, spring onion, scotch bonnet and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until the onion softens. Add the salt cod and cook for around a minute.
- Add the callaloo, tomatoes, thyme and black pepper, stir together, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Soak and boil the salt cod to draw out the salt, then taste it before you season the dish at all.
- Get the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet going first so their flavour works into the greens.
- Pull the callaloo off the heat while it is still vivid and just tender. Overcooked, it loses its life.
- Go easy with the scotch bonnet. It carries serious heat, so add a little and judge from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
A leafy green eaten right across the Caribbean. Spinach, amaranth or even kale will fill in if you cannot find it.
Soak the salt cod overnight, then boil and drain it before flaking, tasting as you go until it sits right.
Fried dumplings, boiled green banana or breadfruit, for a full Caribbean breakfast plate.
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