Breadfruit is in season now. Its unique flavour and texture produces the great oiled down when simmered in a coconut milk broth, fired up with hot peppers, and flavoured with local herbs; an oiled down (oil- down, run-down, mettagee) is certainly one of the most delicious local dishes around. Whipped, baked, whole-roasted, fried, sautéed or souffled, it’s a cook’s dream ingredient because of its versatility.

There are two types available, the white and yellow breadfruit, the latter tends to be the favourite because the flesh has a creamier texture and flavour than the white breadfruit which tends to be drier in texture. It is a good source of complex carbohydrates and is rich in vitamins A, B and C.

How do you buy a perfect breadfruit? It’s tricky, the last few times I went to the market the breadfruit were noticeably small, upon inquiring “why “? The responses were “We like to pick the breadfruit young” and "this is a grafted variety,” – a red flag both times.

Breadfruit must be full when picked for optimum taste satisfaction, so picking a breadfruit young will result in a hard-to-boil, tasteless and stringy-in-texture breadfruit. If you bring home a breadfruit and cannot cook it the same day, place it in a bucket and cover it with water, it will stay until the next day. Remember breadfruit once picked at its peak, will ripen very quickly.

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Breadfruit pies

2 lbs breadfruit, peeled and cut into quarters

1 tsp salt

¼ cup melted butter or margarine

¼ cup flour

2 tbs vegetable oil

½ lb ground chicken

1 small onion minced

½ cup mixed fresh herbs, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ carrot. Finely chopped

⅓ cup chopped parsley

½ cup flour

1 egg

1 cup fine toasted breadcrumbs

Boil breadfruit in plenty of water and one teaspoon salt, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

While hot, crush breadfruit, add melted butter, and flour combine until mixture starts to stay together, knead for a few minutes, cover and set aside.

Heat oil in sauté pan, add garlic and onion, sauté for a few minutes, add carrot and fresh herbs, except parsley. Add chicken and cook until tender, season with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 15 minutes, remove, add parsley and cool mixture.

Flour a work surface and roll out breadfruit dough to about ¼-inch thickness.

With a 3-inch cutter, stamp out circles. Place about 1 tbs, filling on the lower portion of the circle, and fold over, seal with a fork.

Dust with flour, brush with beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs.

Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 15 minutes until golden.

Makes about 10 pies.

Breadfruit salad

1 3-4 lb breadfruit, boiled, cooled and cut into ½-inch cubes

⅓ cup chopped chadon beni

⅓ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup chopped chives

1 cup low fat mayonnaise

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