Fried in a hot skillet, this easier spiced escovitch fish recipe is made with red snapper filets but is flexible. The snapper (or kingfish or mullet fish) is fried until tender and crispy then it is soaked in my homemade escovitch sauce, a spicy pickled sauce made with pan-fried onion, carrots, allspice, and scotch bonnet peppers. Serve with bammy or festival dumplings.
The preparation is simple: The fish is first dusted in flour and fried, then the fish is covered in a brine-like sauce or pickle called escovitch. The pickle is made of cane vinegar, Scotch bonnet pepper, pimento (the Jamaican term for allspice berries), onion, chayote, and carrot.
How To Make Escovitch Fish
You can make escovitch fish in 45 minutes and serve immediately but for best results aka a life-changing bite, allow the fish to sit in the escovitch sauce overnight to soak up all the flavors.
How To Prepare Fried Fish
- Rub cleaned and dried fish down with lime, then pat fish filets dry. Liberally season both sides of fish.
- Heat oil in heavy bottom skillet. Once hot, lightly dust fish in flour and add to the skillet skin side down. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
How To Make Escovitch Fish Sauce
- In a separate skillet over medium-high heat, add all the vegetables and sweat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer cook until vegetables become tender. Remove from heat and let the sauce marinate for 5 additional minutes.
- Pour sauce over the fish and serve warm. Alternatively, you can (SHOULD) let the fish soak in the sauce overnight. Then reheat and serve the next day.
The word escovitch has derived from the Spanish word escabeche. This style of cooking, popular in Latin America and the Mediterranean was brought to Jamaica by the Spaniards in the 1500s.
The Jamaican variation incorporates an almost identical method of preparation wherein the meat, typically fish, is first fried, then soaked and doused generously in a pickling sauce. A slew of herbs and spices are used to season the dish. The escovitch sauce recipe generally uses pimento, vinegar, pepper, onions, and sometimes carrots.
Fun Fact: In the Caribbean, escovitch fish isn’t just served for dinner. It is also a major staple for holiday spreads and is commonly served for breakfast.
What To Eat With Escovitch Fish?
There are no hardline rules for what to eat with escovitch fish. In classic Jamaican style, the delicious escovitch fish is savored with bammy, traditional cassava flatbread, or fried dumplings. However, you can also pair it with rice and peas, cabbage, hard dough bread, or boiled/fried plantains.
You can find some additional traditional Jamaica-inspired recipe ideas for pairing with escovitch fish.
HOW TO MAKE JAMAICAN ESCOVITCH SAUCE RECIPE 2020
FAQ
Why is it called Escovitch?
How do you eat escovitch fish?
What is escovitch fish in spanish?
What is the difference between Escovitch and escabeche?
What is escovitch fish?
Escovitch Fish is a traditional and popular Jamaican seafood dish that consists of lightly seasoned and pan fried fish covered with a medley of bell peppers, onions and carrots in a vinaigrette dressing. With Easter just around the corner I thought now would be the most appropriate time to release this Jamaican escovitch fish dish.
How long does escovitch fish last?
The best time to eat escovitch is the day after you make it, when the fish after soaking up all the pickled sauce. If you store the Escovitch fish for over two days, put the fish in the refrigerator. Escovitch fish will last in the fridge for up to four weeks.
What spice is used in escovitch fish?
Hot pepper: Like many Jamaican dishes, escovitch fish is or should be spicy, so scotch bonnet pepper is essential. Use scotch bonnet pepper for the escovitch sauce and to fry the fish. Pimento (allspice): Pimento (allspice) is an essential spice in Jamaican cuisine—one of the main ingredients that give Jamaican cooking its unique taste.
How do you make escovitch sauce?
Prepare the escovitch sauce by adding the bell peppers, carrot and onion to the oil on medium heat (add more oil if needed to make ⅓ cup worth). Saute the vegetables until translucent then stir in the vinegar, pimento, thyme and coconut sugar.