Escovitch Fish
This classic Jamaican dish features a tart, spicy, and slightly sweet escovitch sauce to die for. Vegetables top a perfectly fried red snapper drenched with said sauce for a dish that will have you running back for seconds.
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Serves4 (people)
SWAP ScoreWhat's this?
Ingredients
- 2 pounds whole red snappers cleaned and scaled (about 2-3 fish—almost any white fish will work), 900g
- salt and pepper to taste or seasoning of choice
- 1 lime or lemon
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil 120ml, more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper pierced (or replace with ½cayenne pepper)
- 1/2 teaspoon Jamaican allspice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup malt vinegar, can sub red wine vinegar
- freshly ground white pepper
Directions
- Rinse the fish and rub it down with a lemon or lime—season with salt, pepper, and preferred seasoning. I used Creole seasoning.
- Heat oil on medium in a large skillet. As soon as it's hot, add the fish and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through and crispy.
- Remove the fish. Set it aside or place it in the oven so it stays warm until the sauce is ready. Drain the oil, leaving 2-3 tablespoons behind for the vegetables.
- Add the bay leaf, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for about a minute, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the onion, bell peppers, carrots, thyme, scotch bonnet, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and allspice. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, mix, and adjust seasonings to your preference. Let it simmer for about 2 more minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme before serving the sauce over the fish with a side of bammy.
Recipe Tips
Cover the fried fish with foil to keep it nice and toasty while you saute your veggies and make the sauce. Don’t add your fish to the frying pan until the oil is hot. Otherwise, it will take longer to cook and might be notably greasy when assembling the dish.
Taste test! As you make the sauce, give it a taste test. Adjust seasonings to fit your preferences. Not tangy enough? Add a tad more vinegar. Need a deeper flavor? Add a little bit more Worcestershire.
Nutrition Facts
Escovitch Fish
Amount Per Serving
Calories 787
Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g
48%
Saturated Fat 5g
25%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 17g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 107mg
36%
Sodium 248mg
10%
Potassium 1598mg
46%
Total Carbohydrates 59g
20%
Dietary Fiber 3g
12%
Sugars 51g
Protein 65g
130%
Vitamin A
55%
Vitamin C
149%
Vitamin D0%
Calcium
13%
Iron
11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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