Fry Bake & Saltfish Salad
Shelley Worrell
Photo by Janluk Stanislas
- Serves
- 4
- Prep Time
- 45 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Fry bake and saltfish is a popular street food in the Caribbean and an Afro-Caribbean staple dating back to slavery. My grandmother was famous for this dish in her hometown of Sangre Grande in Trinidad and Tobago and this is one of my most requested recipes from family & friends. I’ve also enjoyed variations of this dish in Jamaica, Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Luca, Barbados, Antigua and Flatbush, aka Little Caribbean N.Y.C.
Author’s Note: Measurements and time are best guesstimates.
Ingredients
Fry Bake
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 1 dash milk (optional)
- 3/4 cup water
Saltfish Salad
- 1/2 pound salted cod (or herring)
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1/3 cup sweet or pimento peppers, chopped
- 1/3 cup onion, sliced
- 1 handful culantro or cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
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Directions
- Step 1
Fry Bake Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar (and milk) in a large bowl. Add water, gently knead until the dough is sticky. Dust with flour and continue kneading until smooth. Cover with a damp towel and let dough rest for 30 minutes or more. Separate dough into balls. Heat oil on high heat in a cast iron skillet (dough should be covered based on width/depth of pot). Roll balls with rolling pin into ¼ circles. Cut into triangles. Fry on both sides in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Step 2
Saltfish Salad Boil salted cod over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes (repeat or soak overnight to remove additional salt if desired). Drain and rinse with cool water. Shred salted cod and gently toss with chopped vegetables. Heat oil with garlic clove for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat. Drizzle garlic-infused oil over salt fish. Garnish with additional chopped culantro or cilantro. Enjoy with pepper sauce, ground provisions (plantain, cassava, green banana), and avocado.