Escovitch Fish
Jamaican whole snapper fried crispy and then pickled under a tangy, spicy vinegar sauce with julienned vegetables and allspice. Plan ahead: let the dressed fish marinate at least 30 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs whole red snapper (or snapper fillets), scored on both sides
- 1 tsp salt (for fish)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice (for fish)
- 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 2 carrot, julienned
- 1 yellow onion, sliced thin
- 1 bell pepper (mix of colors), julienned
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), seeded, sliced
- 12 berries whole allspice berries
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt (for escovitch sauce)
Instructions
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1
Pat 2 lbs scored on both sides whole red snapper (or snapper fillets) dry. Season all over and inside the score marks with 1 tsp salt (for fish), 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp ground allspice (for fish). Let sit 10 minutes.
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2
Heat 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying) in a large skillet over medium-high heat to 350F. Fry the fish until deeply golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145F, about 5-7 minutes per side for a whole fish (3-4 minutes per side for fillets). Transfer to a platter.
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3
Make the escovitch sauce: pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the frying oil from the pan. Add 2 julienned carrot, 1 sliced thin yellow onion, 1 julienned bell pepper (mix of colors), 1 seeded, sliced Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), and 12 berries whole allspice berries. Saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.
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4
Pour in 1 cup white vinegar, add 2 tsp granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp salt (for escovitch sauce). Stir and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
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5
Pour the hot escovitch sauce and vegetables directly over the fried fish on the platter. Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving so the fish absorbs the pickle. Serve at room temperature.