Escovitch Fish

Escovitch Fish
Jamaica
⏱ — min. Serves: —

Ingredients

  • 2 whole fish (snapper or grunts), cleaned and scaled
  • 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Vegetable oil (for frying)
  • For the Escovitch Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon allspice (pimento)
  • 1 medium carrot (sliced into thin rounds)
  • 1 small onion (sliced thinly)
  • 1-2 Scotch bonnet peppers (sliced thinly, adjust to taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 bell pepper (sliced into thin strips)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Prepare the Fish

Rinse the fish and pat them dry with paper towels.

Season the fish with salt and black pepper.

Dredge the fish in flour, shaking off any excess.

Fry the Fish

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat.

Fry the fish for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Prepare the Escovitch Sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, black pepper, and allspice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Add the sliced carrot, onion, Scotch bonnet peppers, minced garlic, bell pepper, and fresh thyme to the saucepan.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly tender but still crisp.

Assemble and Serve

Place the fried fish on a serving platter.

Pour the hot escovitch sauce over the fish, making sure to cover it well with the pickled vegetables.

Let the fish marinate in the sauce for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy your meal!