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1
Place salted fish in a pot with water fully covering the fish.
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2
Place on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil with the pot uncovered.
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3
boiling removes the excess salt in the fish.
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4
The longer it boils the more salt is removed.
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5
While you wait for the fish to start boiling prepare the ackee by removing the black seeds of each and cleaning out the middle.
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6
The ackee used is fresh off the tree but this can be substituted for Grace Ackee in a can.
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7
Once the fish starts to boil throw off the water and add fresh water to the fish and return to the stove.
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8
If you are using the ackee from the tree, place in the pot with the fish uncovered and bring to a boil.
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9
If using ackee in the tin open the can and drain water throughly from the can and set aside.
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10
While you wait for the fish to come to a boil prepare the fresh seasoning
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11
Cut and dice up in small peices the onion, bell pepper, garlic, escallions with the green ends included, habanero pepper, tomato combine and set aside in a container.
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12
When the water comes to a boil remove the fish leaving the ackee in the water to continue boiling and place in a colander to drain.
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13
run cold water on the fish to cool it.
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14
While you wait for the fish to cool test the ackee if it is soft.
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15
usually it's cooked when the ackee is floating on top of the water.
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16
be careful to not over cook as this will make it too soft and will mash out when doing the final steps.
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17
Once the fresh ackee is cooked remove from water drain well and set aside
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18
When the fish is cool enough to handle pick the salt fish using your hands and remove the bones.
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19
The fish has a lot of bones so be careful to remove as much as possible.
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20
Once picked set aside
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21
Place a skillet on the stove with the vegetable oil and heat on high.
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22
Once hot enough turn down on medium heat
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23
Place 3 quarters of the seasoning in the oil and sautee until soft
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24
Once the seasoning is cooked place the picked salt fish in skillet with the seasoning turn up the heat from medium and cook/sautee.
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25
stir well so that the fish mixed in with the seasoning and coated with the oil.
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26
continue to stir and sautee fish on the oil for 5 minutes.
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27
At the end of the 5 minutes place the ackee in the skillet with the fish and seasoning.
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28
if using tin ackee this is when you would add the ackee to the mixture and stir well ensuring the ackee is evenly mixed in with the fish and seasoning.
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29
turn heat down on low.
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30
add the black pepper to taste and add the remaining seasoning on top and mix.
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31
While the mixture simmers continue to stir, be careful not to mash out the ackee.
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32
Once throughly mixed cover the pot for 2 minutes allowing the ackee to finishing cooking and absorb the flavour of the seasoning and the fish
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33
At the end of the 2 minutes stir and taste.
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34
The ackee should be soft, the seasoning should be soft.
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35
Once satisfied with the flavour turn off heat and serve.
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36
This delicious meal can be served with slices of roasted breadfruit, plantains, and avocado.
