Billie's Kitchen

Sometimes the smallest dishes tell the biggest stories. These little saltfish fritters represent centuries of Caribbean history in just a few bites.

Before starting this challenge, I knew little about St Lucian cuisine beyond its tropical setting. As I researched the island, I quickly realised its food reflects generations of resilience, drawing together African traditions, European influence, and the incredible produce grown on this volcanic Caribbean island.

I decided to make Accra, a dish that perfectly represents this blend of cultures. It was incredibly satisfying seeing the batter come together and then frying them until they are beautifully golden, and by the end I completely understood why they’re such a popular food throughout the Caribbean.

What has shaped St Lucian cuisine?

St Lucian cuisine reflects the island’s complex history, bringing together Indigenous Caribbean, African, French, and British influences. Initially, Indigenous Caribbean peoples introduced staples such as cassava, sweet potatoes, and peppers, as well as cooking techniques that remain part of St Lucian cuisine today. The transatlantic slave trade then forcibly brought enslaved Africans to the island, and their culinary traditions, knowledge of tropical crops, and cooking techniques became deeply woven into St Lucian food culture. French and British colonisation also introduced new livestock, ingredients, and baking traditions, creating a cuisine that reflects both cultural exchange and the lasting legacy of a difficult colonial history.

Surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and blessed with fertile volcanic soil, the island’s cuisine celebrates fresh seafood, green bananas, breadfruit, cassava, coconut, and tropical fruits. The national dish, green fig and saltfish, perfectly captures St Lucia’s history by combining local produce with preserved fish introduced through the Atlantic trade. The result is a cuisine that feels distinctly St Lucian, shaped by the island’s landscape, its history, and the many cultures that have left their mark on it.

What are Accras?

Accras are crisp, golden fritters found throughout the Caribbean, with St Lucian versions typically made using salted cod and a variety of herbs and spices, including thyme, parsley, spring onions, garlic, and chilli. Accras reflect St Lucia’s layered history, drawing on West African fritter traditions and incorporating salted cod that became an important food through the Atlantic trade.

Today, accras are commonly served as starters, street food, or at family gatherings and celebrations, where they are enjoyed fresh from the fryer with spicy sauces or simple dips. Their popularity lies in transforming humble ingredients into something irresistibly light and flavourful.

Accras disappear in just a few bites, but making them showed me how much care goes into achieving the perfect texture. It reminded me that some of the most joyful foods are also the simplest, bringing people together over something warm, crisp, and freshly cooked.

My experience with Accras

Accra comes together surprisingly quickly, but the magic is in the frying. The batter has to be light enough to create an airy centre while crisping beautifully on the outside. The kitchen quickly filled with the aroma of herbs and fish, making it impossible to wait for them all to finish before trying one.

I found it difficult to find saltfish in a shop, so when I first made this recipe, I just used normal cod fillets. However, saltfish can be made at home too by curing cod fillets in salt overnight (note 1).

St Lucian Accras

Recipe by Billie Delpino

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: StarterCuisine: St LucianDifficulty: ★★★☆☆

Servings

2-3

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

These accras crispy yet fluffy, and bursting with flavour! They are perfect served with an array of dipping sauces and some coleslaw!

Ingredients

• 2-3 boneless cod fillets (either use as they are, or cure in salt overnight – see note 1)

• 3 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 brown onion (diced)

• 2 red chillis (finely chopped)

• 1/2 red pepper (finely chopped)

• Small bunch of parsley (finely chopped)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp tumeric

• 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs

• 1/2 tsp cayenne

• 1 tsp paprika (sweet not smoked)

• 1 tsp West Indian hot sauce

• 180 g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 350 ml water

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• To serve: mango chutney, homemade coleslaw

• Tamarind sauce

• 2 tsp tamarind paste

• 3 tsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 100 ml water

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Directions

• Accras
• Fill a saucepan with water and boil the cod/salted cod for 10 minutes, until cooked through.
• Drain the fish and flake into tiny pieces. Cool in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
• Combine the garlic, onions, chillis, peppers, and parsley. Stir through the cooled flaked fish, followed by the spices, hotsauce, flour, and baking powder.
• Gradually stir through the water, until the batter comes together, and feels smooth and thick. The batter should be thick enough to spoon, but if too runny, the accras won’t hold their shape.
• On a medium-high heat, heat up the oil in a frying pan, making sure the base of the pan is entirely coated in a good layer of oil. Once the oil is hot (around 180°C), place spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Cook each accra for around 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy.
• Remove the accras from the pan and drain on kitchen roll to remove excess oil. While frying the remaining accras, these can be kept warm in an oven.
• Serve the finished accras hot! Our favourite sauce was a tamarind sauce (below), but they were also great with mangi chutney!
• Tamarind sauce
• In a small pan on a medium-low heat, stir together the water, tamarind paste, sugar, and soy sauce, until the paste and sugar melt together.
• Add the spices, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and thick.
• Let the sauce cool slightly before serving.

Notes

• Note 1: this recipe is traditionally made with saltfish, but I struggled to find this in shops. I used normal cod fillets to make my accras, but you can also make saltfish at home! You simply rinse and dry your cod fillets, and immerse them in salt completely. Cover the dish with clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight to cure the fish in salt.
• I adapted the accra recipe from Another Rum Punch’s wonderful recipe (https://anotherrumpunch.com/saint-lucia-saltfish-accras/#recipe).