Caribbean Recipe Of The Week – Roast Breadfruit

Roasting breadfruit on an open flame.

By Minna LaFortune

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. June 2, 2017: Breadfruit is a very popular fruit in the Caribbean and in the Caribbean Diaspora. It is a very aromatic starchy fruit, that can be eaten when it is unfit and when it is fit or mature as well.

Once the breadfruit season comes in, it’s on everybody’s mind. Most people love roasting it and frying it the next day after roasting it. It can be boiled also and put in stews and the popular dish from Grenada -“oil down!”

When it is boiled, it is usually cooked with ground provisions such as green banana, yam, and sweet potatoes.  These food items are then paired with stewed meat, salted fish fresh fish, Ackee and Saltfish or calaloo and Saltfish.

It is usually roasted when it’s mature, fit and going on to a ripened state but not soft – it must be firm.
Roasting a breadfruit is easy, but it requires attention and patience. The breadfruit must be fit and should not have any stains running from the stem when the stem is removed.

Today I will share with you my recipe for Roasted Breadfruit.

Ingredients
One large mature Breadfruit

Method
Using charcoal or a gas stove burner, cut a deep cross in the bottom of the bread fruit before it goes on the flame.

Put whole breadfruit directly over charcoal / flame.

Turn the fruit as it begins to be blackened by the flame.

Turn the fruit so that each side is blackened every 5-8 minutes.

The roasting takes about an hour.

When steam starts to escape from the stem end and the bottom of the breadfruit, test with a knife to check to see if it is done. Insert knife through the stem. It should insert with ease.

Remove the breadfruit from the fire.

Allow to cool for ten minutes and then peel the blackened skin off.

Remove the center or heart of the breadfruit and cut into slices.

Serve it hot with stewed meat, salted fish etc. or serve stuff whole with stew meat or salted fish etc.

Bon Appetite

EDITOR’S NOTE: Minna LaFortune is a trained Caribbean caterer and also president of the  Society for the Advancement of the Caribbean Diaspora (SACD). Check out her food group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/bestfoodscaribbean/