Wash excess salt off salt fish. Then place a fresh pot of water with salt fish to boil on high heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse in cold water. Clean up salt fish by removing any skin and bones. Pick into medium- small pieces and set aside.

Mince garlic, onion, green pepper and scotch bonnet together, set aside. Add the fresh thyme to this.

Dice plummy tomatoes and set aside.

Cut up scallion fine and set aside.

Measure out coconut milk and water and set aside.

Wash rice and drain, set aside.

Measure out 1- 1/2 cups of pre-boiled fresh ackees. If using can ackee, drain and set aside.

Cut up 2 strips of bacon in small pieces and fry for just a few minutes until mostly cooked (not crispy). ** If using pigstail, boil for 30 minutes. Cut at joints and set aside.

Using a medium pot or a large skillet with a cover, on medium heat place 2 Tbsp. of butter to melt. Add the minced garlic, onions, green pepper, scotch bonnet, most of tomatoes and thyme. Sautee for 1 minute. Add salt fish and sautee another minute or 2. Add the bacon or pigtail, and black pepper.

In a medium deep pot, add the water and coconut milk. On medium-high heat add the rice, the saltfish mixture from the skillet, most of the scallion and the salt.

Bring to a boil. Once boiling, continue boiling 3-4 minutes, cover pot and turn to low heat to simmer for about 20 minutes or until most of the water is evaporated. Use a fork and gently stir rice.

Place a piece of saran cling wrap over pot and cover. Continue cooking another 10 minutes then uncover and stir a little, Place ackees on top and cover again with saran and pot cover, continue to steam another 10 minutes (if using can ackee, don't add to rice until the last 5 minutes of cooking as it may be softer).

Uncover and gently stir from the bottom up to incorporate ackee but carefully so it dosen't mash out. Make sure the rice is cooked to desired taste, if not cover and cook another few minutes.

If easier, place in a casserole dish to stir gently and stir. Garnish top with the remainding tomatoes, scallion, and a whole scotch bonnet pepper in center. Serve and enjoy.