Left:Saltfish Bulojl served at Devon House, St. Andrew.
Right:
Saltfish fritters made with the Norweigan brand. - CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
IT IS ESTIMATED that Jamaicans consume approximately 5,000 tons of salt fish annually, of which 80 per cent is imported from Norway. And businesswoman Débè-Ann Chen has been busy experimenting with the product. Her latest succulent Norwegian saltfish culinary exploits are poached salt fish, stuffed crab backs (with salt fish), salt fish and shrimp cocktail and salt fish dumplings in a coconut curry.
Some of her other Norwegian saltfish creations were on display on Friday February 24 at the 'Blues on the Green ' Jazz event at Devon House. Those dishes included salt fish and ackee quiche, traditional stamp and go' and buljol. There was a steady stream of patrons throughout the evening all eager to sample the various dishes she prepared.
Some of those Norwegian salt fish recipes are included in this feature.
Débè-Ann Chen is a Trini-Jamaican who has been making waves in the kitchen for as long as she can remember and has been honing her talent of wooing palates in the Caribbean and United States
"I started cooking about nine years old," she recalled, noting that she whipped up many a mouth-watering pie to the delight of the adults.
By the age of 11 when Mrs. Chen was in high school in her homeland, she was already famous for the culinary delights she concocted for the wedding receptions of teachers. "By age 12, I was making up to 400 sausage rolls per wedding," she added." I did pastries too and I spent most weekends making 500 or 600 pies and sausage rolls."
Her culinary heritage runs deep, as her mother was an excellent cook whose variety of dishes was a talking point for the community. To facilitate her, Mrs. Chen's mother bought a kerosene stove to complement the family's gas stove. That way her young daughter's culinary attempts were not impeded.
Although she had a wellspring of inspiration from her mother and wanted to pursue a career in cooking, her father would have none of it. She resorted to a job in the banking industry and later tertiary training in Computer Science at the University of Miami.
Her university years revived her passion for the culinary world. "This is where I realised that there was something I could do that I loved and which made people happy - I sold food that I cooked in my room to Jamaicans," reminisced Mrs. Chen.
She likes the challenge of creating a new dish or giving a traditional dish a creative flair.
Buljol
1 lb Norwegian salt fish
Hot water
Onions
Scotch bonnet pepper
Tomatoes
Olive oil
Eggs
Optional: Grated carrots
and chopped bell peppers
METHOD
1. Soak 1 lb of Norwegian salt fish overnight in hot water. Skin, bone and flake (not cut) soaked salt fish.
2. Chop onions, scotchbonnet pepper and tomatoes (to taste) and mix with salt fish. Add olive oil to mixture.
3. Hard boil eggs and slice as garnish around the buljol serving dish/bowl.
4. Refrigerate to give the flavours a chance to blend and serve with crackers, bread, coconut bake or ground provisions.
Salt fish Dumplings
In A Coconut Curry
1/2lb Norwegian Salt fish
Scallion
Garlic
Onion
Thyme
Scotch bonnet pepper
Oil for sautéing (Curry
optional at this stage)
Indian Curry Powder
Ground Geera
Coconut Milk (powdered or fresh)
Scallion
Garlic
Onion
Thyme
Scotch bonnet pepper
oil to sweat seasonings
2 cups flour (baking or counter.
I prefer baking)
2tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
Water to mix
METHOD:
1. Soak or boil Norwegian salt fish to remove excess salt.
2. Skin, bone and shred fish. Sauté seasonings in oil with or without curry and Geera. Put aside.
3. Mix flour baking powder and salt and add water to make a soft dumpling.
4. Divide into balls 12 to 16 depending on size you want to make. Roll into a circle.
5. Place 1 or 2 tbs. of salt fish mixture on dough and fold over to close sealing with water.
6. Place in lightly salted boiling water. When dumplings float they are cooked. Remove from water and put aside.
7. Heat oil in a Dutch pot and sauté scallion, garlic, onion, thyme, and scotch bonnet.
8. Add curry and Geera to pot to cook and add 2 cups rich coconut milk.
9. Season with salt and/or Maggie cubes or flavour d' pot chicken to taste.
10. When boiling leave uncovered... add salt fish dumplings and cook till sauce thickens.
Serve as a cocktail, a main course or as a side dish.
