~543 cal · 58g protein · 67g carbs · 5g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Boiled green bananas with sautéed saltfish and peppers
🇱🇨 Castries
On Saint Lucia, "green fig" means unripe bananas, and paired with saltfish it is the national dish and the classic Saturday breakfast. The starchy boiled figs soak up a lively sauté of flaked salt cod, sweet peppers, onion, and thyme — humble island ingredients that together taste like home under the Pitons.
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🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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12 oz salted cod (saltfish), soaked and flaked
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8 green (unripe) bananas
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1 onion
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1 bell pepper
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2 tomato
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3 cloves garlic
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1 tsp thyme
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1/2 scotch bonnet
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3 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
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1 lime
Instructions
1
Soak the saltfish to remove excess salt, then boil briefly and flake (skip the soak for hearts of palm).
2
Score and boil the green bananas in their skins for about 15 minutes until tender; peel and slice.
3
Sauté the onion, garlic, pepper, tomato, thyme, and scotch bonnet until soft.
4
Fold in the flaked saltfish (or hearts of palm) and warm through with a squeeze of lime.
5
Serve the saltfish over or alongside the boiled green figs.
Castries tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Castries. A harbor capital under the Pitons, home of the national breakfast.
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Saint Lucia. A Windward island that breakfasts on green banana and saltfish.
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North America. A collision of Indigenous, colonial, and immigrant tables.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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