Chef Maurice recently delighted us with a lovely vegetarian menu of lightly sautéed callaloo and fried breadfruit. It’s so delicious that we want to share the recipe with you. Plus, modifications to this Jamaican-style dish are easy.
Although the breadfruit used in the dish was grown in Jamaica, you can use crusty French bread if you don’t have breadfruit in your area. And, the callaloo can simply be cooked for a side dish and goes well with chicken, fish and turkey – a great idea for serving a fresh new dish at Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
Ingredients
(Serves two to four)
- 1 pound of fresh callaloo (you can use also, spinach or canned callaloo if fresh is not available in your area)
- 1 green and one red pepper (medium sized) – diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- A sprig of thyme
- 2 small tomatoes – diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ounce of butter
- 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
Directions
- In a small frying pan on medium heat, sauté garlic and onion with butter
- Add sweet peppers, tomatoes, thyme, a dash of salt and pepper. Sauté for a few more minutes until tender
- Add in the callaloo. Sauté until callaloo is mixed in and cooked down to desired tenderness
- Turn off heat and cover
- Serve up with French bread, or as a side dish
If you would like to try the plantain and fried breadfruit, here are the instructions.
Ingredients for Plantain
- (1) Large ripe plantain
- Olive oil or vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Lay the plantains on a cutting board and slice into 1/2 inch pieces. If you prefer thicker plantains, slice them into 1 inch pieces. For thin, crispy plantains, slice them into 1/4 inch pieces.
- Add oil to pan and heat until pan sizzles
- Add plantain pieces and cook two minutes on each side until they are golden brown. The longer they fry, the sweeter they taste.
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Serve with sautéed callaloo
Ingredients for Breadfruit
- (1) Breadfruit. Breadfruit is considered a “Fruit” but actually eaten as a starch. You should be able to find this fruit at a West Indian or Tropical Good Grocer. You can also purchase tinned breadfruit in most supermarkets across the USA.
- Vegetable oil or olive oil
- Butter and salt to taste
Directions
- Place the breadfruit in a 375 degree oven and roast for 1 hr to 1 and 1/2 hrs
- Make an X on the end of the fruit and rub the outside with vegetable oil. The skin will be easy to peel once fully cooked. Cut the breadfruit in two.
- Cut the middle (heart) of the breadfruit out and slice it up for frying
- Place some vegetable or olive oil in the pan
- Cut thin slices and fry on both sides until golden brown
- Serve up as a side dish with butter and a sprinkle of salt. Or, serve up with sautéed callaloo above!
Leave a comment below and let us know how your version turned out. Then, try this recipe for Escovitch Fish with Bammy.