Smoked Salmon Buljol with Plantains

Recently, I shared with you my fall-favorite recipe for Spicy Salmon Chowder. I love it for many reasons, one of which is the health benefits from eating salmon. So, today I’d like to share another salmon-based recipe: Smoked Salmon Buljol with Plantains.

This is a much-loved recipe of mine—one that I grew up eating and enjoying for breakfast. In Trinidad, this dish is usually made with salted codfish that gets soaked overnight.

And while traditional buljol uses salted cod, I love how the salmon flavor mixes with this dish native to Trinidad . And since this spicy dish is served hot, it’s a nice alternative or days when you want something warm that delivers the brain-boosting benefits of a salmon-based dish.

For this recipe, I used Fishwife canned smoked salmon for a quality product that’s incredibly easy to use. In fact, this actually makes the dish even easier than when it’s made with salted cod because you don’t have to spend time boiling off the salt as you normally would.

I also wanted to take advantage of the brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients found in salmon.

And just as with my previous chowder recipe, the salmon is sourced directly from Kvarøy Arctic, a third-generation family business that specializes in ethically raising their salmon with no hormones and no antibiotics.

They use a sustainable fish feed, resulting in beautiful, delicious salmon that has double the amount of omega-3s as other farmed salmon.

Another featured ingredient in this recipe is the plantain. Plantains, which are similar to bananas, provide some healthy carbs to make the dish more balanced, but are also rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, and folate. [1]

The plantain is widely used in Caribbean foods but often gets overlooked here as the superfood it is! As a result, they can be a great addition to your regular nutritional rotation to support healthy digestion, immunity, and more.

Now that you have some basic information about this delicious Smoked Salmon Buljol with Plantains, scroll down to get the recipe.

Smoked Salmon Buljol with Plantains 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

6-8 plantains

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 green bell peppers, diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 large heirloom tomato, diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Hot peppers, to taste (optional)

1 whole scotch bonnet pepper

1 pound Fishwife canned smoked salmon

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Salt and pepper, for garnish

Directions

1. Prepare the plantains by partially slicing off the ends (leaving them partially on makes them easier to peel later) and then scoring with a lengthwise slice on each.

2. Place in a pot of water with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Boil until tender and the skin color has started to change (about 15-20 minutes). Use a fork to test for tenderness.

3. Once done, drain and leave to cool. Once cool, use the top and bottom to peel off the skin and slice diagonally.

4. While the plantains are cooking and cooling, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.

5. Add the onions and sauté until they start to soften.

6. Add the peppers, garlic, tomato, and thyme (add additional hot pepper here, if using) and continue to sauté until the mix is softened and well-combined.

7. Fold in the smoked salmon and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

8. Serve over sliced plantains and garnish with chopped cilantro, a sprinkle of flakey salt, and freshly ground black pepper.