Breadfruit is a staple Caribbean food, and perfect for the tropics due to its ability to grow in just about any soil. The trees are not native to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, they were introduced by Captain Bligh in 1793 when he arrived from Tahiti on the HMS Providence. Breadfruit was at that time intended as a cheap and plentiful source of food for the slaves in the British colonies, a rather dark beginning for a food that has grown in popularity over the years. St. Vincent’s national dish is breadfruit and jackfish, and I guess we have Captain Bligh and Colonialism to thank for that!
Breadfruit trees grow in abundance in St. Vincent, and are very hardy and therefore easy to maintain. One tree can bear twice, sometimes three times a year, and each is capable of producing copious amounts of fruit. Although the starchy carbohydrate IS botanically a fruit, it is culinarily a vegetable and is high in iron, calcium and potassium. It is also gluten-free and low in saturated fat, which means it helps reduce cholesterol. It’s packed with several vitamins, and is now considered one of those “superfoods” we read about in health magazines. Breadfruit, which we tend to take for granted, is a healthy alternative to other more expensive foods, and due to its high carbohydrate content and low cost, it satisfies hungry stomachs without hurting the wallet.
My initial reaction to breadfruit back in the 70’s was not a favourable one, I missed the “Irish” potatoes I had grown up with. Imported potatoes were banned back then, and we had to make do with what was available locally. I disliked French fries made with the starchy substitute, I found them very dry and rather tasteless. I didn’t care for breadfruit salad either, and FORGET mashed breadfruit, it was gooey and looked unattractive on a plate. Although it was delicious when added to boileen and goatwater, I pretty much ignored the fruit for more than 4 decades, mainly because of my first reaction to something different to my Canadian palate!
Now that I am retired, I have discovered how incredibly versatile breadfruit can be, and also how delicious. I have all the time in the world to experiment, and as a result breadfruit is often a part of our meals in one form or another. I had to learn that immature breadfruit is better for boiling, while riper ones are best for roasting, and that particular learning curve is an on-going process! It can be confusing for someone who did not grow up with (and was therefore unfamiliar with) anything remotely like breadfruit.
I often have a covered bowl of “mash” in the refrigerator. This is a mixture of boiled breadfruit blended with butter. When making bread I sometimes add a hefty portion of mash to the dough, and turn out incredibly light, delicious loaves. I had assumed the bread would be heavy, and was therefore pleasantly surprised by the results. The same dough can also be used to make fried breadfruit bakes, and they are wonderfully light as well.
My breadfruit mash can be used to make delicious fritters too, I just add more egg, chopped onions and chives to the mix, then stir in some flour and baking powder to make a batter. The fritters are like potato puffs except much, MUCH better. The same batter can also be used to make breadfruit pancakes instead of potato pancakes, a tasty addition to any meal.
Roasted on the beach, breadfruit has a lovely smokey flavour, and is usually devoured along with freshly caught fish. They CAN be roasted in the oven at home, or even on top of stove burners, but I prefer the smokey variety a wood-fire gives. A roasted breadfruit can also be filled with pretty much anything, curry is a good choice because the breadfruit soaks up some of the flavour, but saltfish and corned beef are terrific too. Stuffed breadfruit lends an artistic as well as tasty touch to a meal, and the bowls are of course edible!
Pizza? Yes, I have used my breadfruit “mash” to create an interesting pizza crust. Interesting is a word I use when I don’t particularly like something but had fun trying! I figure after nearly 40 years in the pizza business, the crust I was used to making was (to me at least) perfect, and I therefore didn’t care for the breadfruit variation. To date I have made pizza using a breadfruit crust twice, and they are the ONLY times I have made pizza since retiring.
I don’t miss making pizzas, not even a bit. Retirement is a wonderful thing!