Jamaican Escovitch Fish

Jamaican Escovitch Fish is spicy and tangy with a sweet undernote. It is fried fish marinated in a pickling sauce and is very easy and straightforward to make. Now it is no secret that I love Jamaican food and I equally love fish so this dish is one that warms my heart and belly.

Escovitch fish is made in homes, sold in restaurants, on the streets and beaches of Jamaica. On the beaches, you sometimes see the vendors frying the fish along with festivals (a Jamaican dough snack), in the same pot of oil infusing the festival with the fish flavour. The taste then reminds me of the Nigerian fish roll.

Jamaican Escovitch Fish can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can marinate the fish overnight or for a few hours in the escovitch pickling sauce. You can even just have the pickling sauce drizzled liberally over it. Whichever method you choose, Jamaican Escovitch Fish is toe-coilingly delicious. I have tried all and must confess that the overnight marinade has the best taste.

Red snapper is the fish of choice for Jamaican Escovitch Fish, in the absence of which you can use croaker, kingfish, haddock, tilapia etc. I use tilapia because its readily available and I love the taste. Have the fishmonger scale and gut your fish.

The spice level of your escovitch sauce totally depends on your tolerance. You can use any light coloured vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or cane vinegar but white vinegar is widely used. Sugar is added to balance the acidity of the vinegar, omit it if you are using a sweet vinegar like apple cider vinegar. Typically, the fish is fried but you can also grill or bake it.

To Prepare Jamaican Escovitch Fish

FISH
750g fish
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoons black pepper
1 seasoning cube
3 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
1 spring onions

Escovitch Sauce
1/2 - 1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon pimento seeds (20 seeds) or 1/4 teaspoon allspice powder
1 medium carrot, 
1 scotch bonnet, fresh pepper
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium onions
2 garlic cloves

Rinse fish inside and out with water mixed with a little vinegar.

Make 2-3 incisions on the fish but not deep enough to reach the bones.

Rub salt, pepper and crushed seasoning cubes or powder on the fish making sure to rub into the cuts and the gut.

Stuff the gut with the crushed garlic cloves and spring onions.

Set aside while you prepare the ingredients for the pickling sauce.

Peel and julienne the carrot, slice scotch bonnet into rings.

Thinly slice the green bell pepper and thinly slice onions into rings.

In a frying pan or saucepan add enough oil for frying the fish.

Add garlic cloves to oil and place over medium heat.

Pat fish dry with paper napkins.

Place fish flat in hot oil and fry both sides until brown about 5-6 minutes on each side, drain and set aside.

In another saucepan, add vinegar, salt, sugar, scotch bonnet, pimento seeds (or allspice powder) and 1 tablespoon of oil used for frying fish. Bring to a boil.

Add carrot, green bell pepper and onion slices.

Stir and cook until onions slices are transparent.

At this point you can:

1. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes and serve immediately with the pickled vegetables.
2. Place fish on a plate place some of the vegetables on top and drizzle some of the flavourful pickling juice over it and your delicious fish is ready.
3. Place some of the vegetables and some juice in a bowl or baking dish, layer your fish on top and pour the rest of the pickle on top. Leave to cool and serve.
4. Place some of the vegetables and some juice in a bowl or baking dish, layer your fish on top and pour the rest of the pickle on top. Leave to cool then store in the refrigerator overnight or for some hours and serve. This is so worth it.

Serve with a side of bammy, Jamaican rice and peas, Twice-cooked potatoes, french fries, a hard crust or toasted bread and a tall glass of Virgin Pina Colada, Nigerian Chapman drink (mocktail) or Cashew fruit juice.

Notes

• I leave my seasoned fish to stand for a minimum of 1 hour before frying. You can even leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
• Remove seeds from the scotch bonnet if you want less heat.
• Use allspice powder if you can’t get pimento seeds (allspice seeds).
• Add other colours of bell peppers also fresh or dry thyme for added flavour.
• If you don’t have a wide enough bowl or baking sheet to place fish in a single layer, then have them in multiple layers making sure to have each layer covered with the pickle.

Print

Jamaican Escovitch Fish

Jamaican Escovitch Fish is spicy and tangy with a sweet undernote. It is fried fish marinated in a pickling sauce and is very easy and straightforward to make.

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Caribbean, Jamaican

Keyword fish, pickle

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author gaga

Ingredients

FISH

• 750 g fish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 seasoning cube
• 3 cloves garlic (slightly crushed)
• 1 spring onions

Escovitch Sauce

• ½ - 1 cup vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pimento seeds (20 seeds or 1/4 teaspoon allspice powder)
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 scotch bonnet (fresh pepper)
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 1 medium onions
• 2 garlic cloves

Instructions

• Rinse fish inside and out with water mixed with a little vinegar.
• Make 2-3 incisions on the fish but not deep enough to reach the bones.
• Rub salt, pepper and crushed seasoning cubes or powder on the fish making sure to rub into the cuts and the gut.
• Stuff the gut with the crushed garlic cloves and spring onions.
• Set aside while you prepare the ingredients for the pickling sauce.
• Peel and julienne the carrot, slice scotch bonnet into rings.
• Thinly slice the green bell pepper and thinly slice onions into rings.
• In a frying pan or saucepan add enough oil for frying the fish.
• Add garlic cloves to oil and place over medium heat.
• Pat fish dry with paper napkins.
• Place fish flat in hot oil and fry both sides until brown about 5-6 minutes on each side, drain and set aside.
• In another saucepan, add vinegar, salt, sugar, scotch bonnet, pimento seeds (or allspice powder) and 1 tablespoon of oil used for frying fish. Bring to a boil.
• Add carrot, green bell pepper and onion slices.
• Stir and cook until onions slices are transparent.

At this point you can: A

• Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes and serve immediately with the pickled vegetables.
• Place fish on a plate place some of the vegetables on top and drizzle some of the flavourful pickling juice over it and your delicious fish is ready.

You can: B

• Place some of the vegetables and some juice in a bowl or baking dish, layer your fish on top and pour the rest of the pickle on top. Leave to cool and serve.

You can: C

• Place some of the vegetables and some juice in a bowl or baking dish, layer your fish on top and pour the rest of the pickle on top. Leave to cool then store in the refrigerator overnight or for some hours and serve. This is so worth it.
• Serve with a side of bammy, Jamaican rice and peas, Twice-cooked potatoes, french fries, a hard crust or toasted bread and a tall glass of Virgin Pina Colada, Nigerian Chapman drink (mocktail) or Cashew fruit juice.

Notes

• I leave my seasoned fish to stand for a minimum of 1 hour before frying. You can even leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
• Remove seeds from the scotch bonnet if you want less heat.
• Use allspice powder if you can't get pimento seeds (allspice seeds).
• Add other colours of bell peppers also fresh or dry thyme for added flavour.
• If you don't have a wide enough bowl or baking sheet to place fish in a single layer, then have them in multiple layers making sure to have each layer covered with the pickle.

If you enjoyed my Jamaican Escovitch Fish, you will also enjoy my Mackerel in Tomato Sauce, Nigerian Crispy fried White Bait Fish (Yor yor), Foiled baked fish in vegetable and Nigerian smoked fish with greens.

Do you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below.

Subscribe to the blog for instant notifications of new recipes.

Please share this recipe using the share buttons.

Follow on Instagram: @thepretendchefofficial, Twitter: @thepretendchef Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thepretendchef/, Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thepretendchef/