Make It Your Way: Jamaican Ackee, Callaloo & Festival Meal
There’s more than one way to enjoy a Jamaican meal. Some people love their ackee with saltfish, some prefer fresh fish or chicken, and others enjoy it completely meat-free. And when it comes to callaloo, some like it mixed with their ackee while others want it served separately on the plate.
That’s the idea behind the ODatzGood Taste of Jamaica Meal Essentials Bundle—we provide the Jamaican favorites, and you make it your way.
What’s in the Taste of Jamaica Bundle?
- JCS Ackees in Brine
- JCS Callaloo
- J.F. Mills Festival Jamaican Style Dough Mix
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper
Shop the ODatzGood Taste of Jamaica Meal Essentials Bundle
Additional Ingredients
Use these as a starting point and adjust the amounts and seasonings to your taste.
- Onion, sliced
- Sweet bell pepper, sliced
- Tomato, chopped
- Garlic, minced
- Fresh or dried thyme
- Black pepper
- Cooking oil
- Scotch bonnet pepper from the bundle, to taste
- Your choice of protein, if desired
Choose Your Protein—or Keep It Meat-Free
One of the best things about this meal is that you can prepare it around what you and your family enjoy.
- Saltfish: Pair your ackee with the classic Jamaican combination.
- Fresh Fish: Try cod or another fish you enjoy.
- Chicken: Prepare seasoned chicken alongside your ackee and callaloo.
- Meat-Free: Skip the meat or fish and let the ackee, callaloo and festival make the plate.
Step 1: Prepare the Ackee
Carefully drain the JCS Ackee and set it aside.
Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a skillet. Sauté some sliced onion, sweet pepper, tomato, garlic and thyme until the vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant.
Add black pepper and a small amount of Scotch bonnet pepper according to your preferred heat level.
Gently add the drained ackee and carefully fold it into the seasoned vegetables. Avoid excessive stirring because ackee is delicate and can easily break apart.
If you’re making ackee with saltfish or another protein, you can incorporate your prepared protein into the ackee or serve it separately.
Step 2: Prepare the Callaloo
Drain the JCS Callaloo. In a separate pan, sauté onion, garlic, thyme and sweet pepper in a little cooking oil.
Add a small amount of Scotch bonnet if you want additional heat. Add the callaloo and cook until heated through and seasoned to your liking.
Go for it! You can combine them if that’s how you enjoy your meal. If you prefer your ackee and callaloo separately, simply serve each as its own part of the plate.
Step 3: Make the Festival
Prepare the J.F. Mills Festival Jamaican Style Dough Mix according to the directions printed on the package.
Cook the festival thoroughly until golden brown, then allow excess oil to drain before serving.
Important: Festival mix contains raw flour and should not be eaten raw. Follow the preparation and safe-handling directions on the product package.
Step 4: Build Your Jamaican Plate
Now it’s time to bring everything together. There’s no single way your finished plate has to look.
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🥬 Seasoned Callaloo
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🥟 Freshly Cooked Festival
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🐟 🍗 🌱 Your Choice of Protein—or None at All
Turn Up the Heat with Scotch Bonnet
Scotch bonnet pepper adds the Caribbean heat that many people enjoy with ackee and callaloo. How much you use is completely up to you. Start with a small amount—you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it back out!
Make It Your Way
Keep the ackee and callaloo separate. Mix them together. Add saltfish. Serve fresh fish on the side. Make some chicken. Skip the meat completely. Add a little Scotch bonnet or turn up the heat.
The idea is simple: start with Jamaican meal essentials and make a plate that works for you and your family.
This recipe is meant to inspire you to make the meal your way. Cooking times, ingredient amounts and seasonings may vary depending on your ingredients and preparation method. Always follow the preparation, storage and safe-handling instructions printed on each individual product package.
Protein, fresh vegetables, cooking oil and other additional ingredients mentioned in this recipe are not included in the ODatzGood Taste of Jamaica Meal Essentials Bundle unless specifically stated on the product listing.