Name: Jamaican Escovitch Fish
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 4 whole red snapper (about 1 lb each), gutted and scaled; 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying; 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks; 2 scotch bonnet peppers, thinly sliced (seeds removed for less heat); 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup distilled white vinegar; 1/2 cup water; 2 tbsp packed brown sugar; 1 tsp whole allspice berries, lightly crushed; 2 bay leaves; 1/2 tsp salt

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A hallmark of Jamaican cookery, escovitch fish pairs crisp fried whole snapper with a hot, tangy pickle of onions, peppers, and scotch bonnet chiles steeped in spiced vinegar. The contrast of crunchy fish and sharp, brightly acidic vegetables is the soul of every Sunday dinner table from Kingston to Negril. Serve with bammy, festival, or steamed rice and peas to soak up every drop.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time45 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

485 kcalCalories
22 gFat
4 gSaturated Fat
24 gCarbs
3 gFiber
9 gSugar
42 gProtein
640 mgSodium
820 mgPotassium
115 mgCalcium
3 mgIron
68 mgVitamin C
4600 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the fish

4 whole red snapper (about 1 lb each), gutted and scaled
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

For the escovitch pickle

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
2 scotch bonnet peppers, thinly sliced (seeds removed for less heat)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp whole allspice berries, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Pat the snapper completely dry, slash each side three times with a sharp knife, and season inside and out with the salt and black pepper; let stand 10 minutes.
Dredge each fish in flour, shaking off excess so only a thin coat remains.
Heat the oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat to 360°F. Fry two fish at a time, skin-side down, about 6 minutes per side until deeply golden and the flesh near the bone flakes easily; transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray and keep warm.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil, return the skillet to medium heat, and sauté the onion, bell peppers, carrot, scotch bonnet, and garlic for 3 minutes until just softened.
Add the vinegar, water, brown sugar, allspice, bay leaves, and salt; bring to a brisk simmer and cook 5 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the liquid is slightly syrupy.
Arrange the fried fish on a deep platter and immediately ladle the boiling escovitch and vegetables over the top so the fish absorbs the pickle.
Let the fish rest at room temperature at least 15 minutes (longer is better), spooning the sauce over the fish occasionally.
Serve warm or at room temperature with traditional bammy, festival, or steamed rice and peas.

Cook’s Notes

Whole red snapper is traditional, but branzino, kingfish, or even firm tilapia fillets work well; reduce fry time to 3 minutes per side for fillets.
Always remove the skillet from the heat before pouring the boiling escovitch over the fish to avoid splashing hot vinegar.
For a brighter pickle, refrigerate the escovitch up to 3 days and spoon it cold over freshly fried fish.
Leave scotch bonnet seeds in if you want authentic heat, or substitute habanero for a slightly fruitier burn.
Save the fish heads and bones to make a quick stock for rice and peas the next day.