Kaili McDonnough, Freelance Writer
Mary Hopkin showcases her delicious ackee lasagne. - PHOTO BY KAILI MCDONNOUGH
UNBEKNOWNST TO many, ackee, Jamaica's national fruit, is multifaceted. Just ask caterer Mary Hopkin who uses ackee in a variety of dishes - ackee quiche, ackee soufflé and ackee vol-u-vant. You name it, and she can make it using the golden coloured fruit.
But it is Mary Hopkin's ackee lasagne that keeps customers like Mrs. Doreen Thompson coming back for more. Mrs. Thompson has been ordering Hopkin's ackee lasagne for over two years and has high regard for this dish "because of its versatility". According to Mrs. Thompson, "ackee lasagne is a fantastic dish as it can be served in different ways at a dinner party, be it as a main dish, as a complement to a buffet or as a side dish".
Being a Hopkin's ackee lasagne fan, Mrs. Thompson warned Food that getting this recipe from Mrs. Hopkin would be challenging, as over the years, she has been known to be
mum about the ingredients and preparation of her special dish. However, Mrs. Hopkin was nonetheless thrilled at the idea of sharing her recipe with Food readers. Using ackee as a substitute for meat and
vegetables in lasagne, Mrs. Hopkin has over 20 years perfected the art of transforming an otherwise traditional dish into a local delicacy, by using readily available Jamaican ingredients such as cheddar cheese, ackee, sweet pepper and garlic, which are then baked together. Her recipe may now be in the hands of the public, but Mrs. Hopkin wants Food readers to know that "the real taste is in the method".
Ackee Lasagne
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup sweet pepper
1 clove finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes/hot sauce
2 tbs. oil
4 dozen ackees, cleaned and parboiled
12 lasagne noodles cooked according to package directions, drained, set aside
4 cups marinara sauce
4 cups cheese sauce (see below)
3 tbs. Parmesan cheese
METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and stir-fry the vegetables until they are soft, about four minutes; then add the cooked ackees and heat through.
2. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce.
3. Place four of the noodles over the sauce, overlapping the edges of the noodles. Cover the noodles with half of the ackee mixture, then spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the ackee, followed by half of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layer, ending with a layer of noodles and pour the remaining pasta sauce over it.
4. Bake in 350ºF oven for
45 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the lasagne and return to the oven for about five minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about 15 minutes before serving.
Cheese Sauce
8 tbs. margarine or butter
8 tsp. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. mustard
4 cups of warm evaporated milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
METHOD
1. Melt butter or margarine in saucepan; add flour, salt, pepper and mustard and stir well so that all of the flour is coated with butter (roux). A low heat is recommended so that the roux does not burn.
2. Slowly whisk in the warm milk until it comes to a boil; remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Mixture will thicken.
Do not cook until after cheese has been added.
