Salt Mackerel and Provision is a beloved dish in Trinidad and Tobago, enjoyed by many year-round. While traditionally associated with the Lenten season, salt mackerel’s unique flavor and versatility make it a staple in Trini cuisine. The dish typically consists of salted mackerel fillets boiled or soaked to remove excess salt, then cooked with a variety of provisions such as yams, cassava, and sweet potatoes.
When preparing salt mackerel, it is important to handle the fish with care. Due to its delicate texture, the fish can easily break apart during cooking, resulting in an unappetizing dish. Pre-soaking the fish and using a gentle touch during preparation can help to preserve the fish’s integrity and ensure a delicious meal. Despite its simplicity, Salt Mackerel and Provision remains a popular dish that showcases the unique flavors and cultural heritage of Trinidad and Tobago.
Prep Time:15minutes mins
Cook Time: 30minutes mins
Total Time: 45minutes mins
Course: Main Dish, Seafood
Cuisine: creole
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salt mackerel
- 3 medium dasheen
- 1 cassava
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 medium yam
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 6 medium tomatoes chopped
- 4 pimento peppers chopped
- 1 med sweet pepper chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 8 leaves chadon beni chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and peel the provision. Boil the yam separately. Boil the rest of the provision together. Boil provision with about 1 tbsp salt.
- Soak the mackerel for 15 minutes then boil for 10 minutes. Remove the bones and tender skin gently. (Note: Use a gentle scraping motion to get the skin off. I found that when I held the knife at a 45 degree angle away from me ( knife edge that is), to scrape the skin, it came off easily!)
- Heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Saute the onion and garlic. Then add the pimento, sweet pepper and tomato. Allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add the mackerel chadon beni and celery. Mix thoroughly.
- Add a little water and simmer for two minutes. Add some pepper if you desire. Serve hot over the provision.
Notes
Sodium content in this main dish will depend on the amount of salt removed during the soaking and boiling process. Also, on how much liquid was squeezed out.
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Recipe © Simply Trini Cooking. All rights reserved
Salt Mackerel and Provision
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salt mackerel
- 3 medium dasheen
- 1 cassava
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 medium yam
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 6 medium tomatoes chopped
- 4 pimento peppers chopped
- 1 med sweet pepper chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 8 leaves chadon beni chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash and peel the provision. Boil the yam separately. Boil the rest of the provision together. Boil provision with about 1 tbsp salt.
- Soak the mackerel for 15 minutes then boil for 10 minutes. Remove the bones and tender skin gently. (Note: Use a gentle scraping motion to get the skin off. I found that when I held the knife at a 45 degree angle away from me ( knife edge that is), to scrape the skin, it came off easily!)
- Heat the olive oil over a medium flame. Saute the onion and garlic. Then add the pimento, sweet pepper and tomato. Allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add the mackerel chadon beni and celery. Mix thoroughly.
- Add a little water and simmer for two minutes. Add some pepper if you desire. Serve hot over the provision.
